The Date
by LouBlue
Summary: A follow on from my Avenger fics of 'Precious' and 'The Magnificent Octopus'. Steve finds himself in an unexpectedly dangerous situation when he agrees to a simple request. A bit of fun/adventure after being inspired to revisit these characters after watching the new Captain America movie.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N****: Hello all, thanks for checking out this fic. :D **

**I've just been along to see the new Captain America movie and felt inspired to jot down a little story. Now, having said that, this story isn't going to follow on with anything that was in that movie, so there are no spoilers to be had in my story. Rather, this story is a little follow on to two other Avenger's fics I've done, Precious and its sequel, The Magnificent Octopus. Those two were more Pepperony centric stories but still with a good portion of the other Avengers too, especially the Octopus story. **

**This story is going to be more Cap-centric. And it's going to include an OC from The Magnificent Octopus, a woman called Olivia. You don't really need to read TMO but it will help to flesh out her and Cap's relationship a bit because I'm going to pick up more or less where I left off with that story. So, in short, there will be some references back to those stories as I go through this one but hopefully it won't be too confusing for readers of this story. **

**So, after all of that rambling, I suppose I'll let you get with the reading and see what you make of it. :D **

**The DATE**

By Louise Blue

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Liv, have you seen my tie?" Steve looked into his mirror and finished buttoning his dress shirt.

"I swapped it out, the blue one is better." Olivia's voice drifted through to him through the open bathroom door.

Steve walked out into the living room of his apartment in the Stark Tower and grimaced at the pretty blonde sitting on the sofa. "This is weird," he stated. Steve tried to read Olivia's expression. "Right? It's weird, I shouldn't go."

Olivia stood up walked over to him, the blue tie in hand. She pointed to the sofa arm. "Sit."

Steve obediently sat on the sofa arm, allowing the almost foot shorter Olivia access to his neck. He spread his legs for her to stand between them and bowed his head so she could place the tie around his neck.

"You agreed to do this and you should keep your word," said Olivia simply.

"But it's weird," complained Steve, "and I didn't so much agree as not be able to work a way out of it fast enough to stop it from happening."

"I thought that serum made you super smart," teased Olivia.

"Not when it comes to women. I think every guy is on his own there." Steve searched Olivia's face intently. "Are you sure this doesn't bother you? I don't want it to be—"

"Weird, I know, you mentioned." Olivia finished with his tie, straightening it before smoothing down his collar. She held his blue gaze. "And I'm not bothered." Olivia smiled. "I mean, you wouldn't be bothered if I went on a purely platonic date with another man, organized by a third party, would you?"

"It would absolutely bother me," said Steve without hesitation.

Olivia's eyes widened a little. "Oh," she said in surprise and then frowned. "Why?"

"Because I don't want you going on any dates with any guy except me."

"But we're not talking about a real date," protested Olivia.

Steve wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him, holding her close to him. "I want to be the only guy you go on dates with, real or not." It had been two months since meeting Olivia and now it was hard to imagine his world without her in it.

Olivia cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink as she looked at him shyly through her long lashes. "I want that too."

Steve couldn't resist, he closed the small space between them and claimed a series of sweet kisses from her. Olivia moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and returned his kisses, promptly making causing Steve to forget about everything other than the woman in his arms.

"Hey, Captain Frostbite, duty calls!"

Steve felt Olivia start in his arms at the sound of Tony Stark's intrusive voice over the intercom and break the kiss. He gave a grunt of annoyance. "I told you, Stark, I want that intercom out of my apartment!"

"Can't, it's part of my upgraded security system for the tower," came Tony's unrepentant disembodied voice.

"It's just annoying," snapped Steve. "Like everything else about you."

"Boy, you're rude. I don't know what you see in the guy, Olivia."

Olivia just smiled and stepped out of Steve's arms, much to his disappointment. "Hello, Tony."

"Hey honey, how's things?"

"I'm good, Tony, how about you?"

Steve made a cluck of irritation. "Don't talk to him, Liv, he doesn't need any more encouragement."

"That's where you're wrong, Frostie, I don't need _any_ encouragement," said Tony triumphantly. "And your chariot awaits. Happy is going to drive you to the ball, so strap on those slippers and get a move on."

Steve gave Olivia a desperate look and mouthed the words 'save me'. He just really didn't want to go. He wanted to stay here and be with his girl and not run the gauntlet of the media circus he knew was waiting for him. Olivia just smiled, cupping his face and mouthing back the words 'you'll be fine' before granting him a quick kiss.

"What's going on? Why can't I hear anything? Are you two kissing?"

Steve gritted his teeth at the continuing interruptions. "I swear to God, Stark, if you don't remove this intercom from my apartment, it's going to get real ugly real quick around here."

"Uglier than that five dollar haircut you're so fond of?"

Steve shook his head at Olivia in exasperation. "I hate that guy."

"No, you don't, you have a grudging admiration for him and would lay down your life for him."

"Not right now I wouldn't," he growled.

"Can you two speak up?"

"Stark!"

"Okay, okay, keep your five dollar hair on. Happy's waiting, just thought you'd like to know."

"Tell Happy I'm on my way," said Steve.

"What am I, your secretary? Tell him yourself."

"But you're the one who—" Steve caught himself trying to argue the point, already knowing there really was no point when it came to Tony Stark. The sound of the intercom clicking told him Tony had gotten bored and wandered off. His hands curled into fists. "That guy drives me crazy," he ground out.

"He only does it because you give him a reaction," said Olivia in amusement.

"He does it because he's a dick," grumbled Steve. He sighed heavily. "I think I should just pull out of this whole thing. It's not right. We're dating. It just feels wrong."

Olivia shook her head at him. "This girl entered a competition and won a date with the one and only Captain America. You have to go Steve. You said you would and now you can't disappoint a fan. It wouldn't be right."

"And you're not jealous?" Steve couldn't help but think how he'd feel in her position.

Olivia smiled up sweetly at him. "Why would I when you always make me feel like the only girl in the world when we're together?"

Steve cupped her face and stroked the smattering of freckles his thumb could reach. "You are the only girl in the world to me."

Olivia bit her bottom lip, another little blush pinking her cheeks.

"HHHOOOONNNNKKKK!"

"Okay, that's it, I'm going to kill him!" snapped Steve as Tony's intrusive voice interrupted them yet again.

Olivia slipped her hand in his. "Come on, we don't want to keep your date waiting. That would be rude."

Steve loved how kind-hearted Olivia was, the way she always thought so much about other people's feelings. His world could be cold, hard and unforgiving. Knowing he had the sweetness of Olivia in his life made all of the difference. She helped balance out his life and Steve wondered if she truly understood how much that meant to him. How much she meant to him.

Olivia tugged on his hand. "Come on, Mr. Rogers, you have somewhere you need to be."

Steve let her pull him towards the front door and out into the hallway. They stepped onto the elevator together with him not letting go of her hand. "I'll only be a couple of hours. Maybe we can do something after this." He sent her a hopeful look. "Can I come by later?"

"I'm making papier mâché farm animals for the kids to decorate at school."

Steve grinned. "You're in luck. I am amazingly skilled in all things papier mâché."

Olivia giggled. "Wow, that is lucky."

Steve stared at her, loving these little moments where he could just relax totally and be himself. The words 'I love you' were on the tip of his tongue, he could actually taste them in his mouth but he stopped short of actually saying them. He didn't know if it was too soon. He wasn't even sure if saying those three little words would scare Olivia off and Steve knew he really didn't want that. And maybe saying those words to her would be unfair. After all, his world was dangerous and unpredictable. What right did he really have to tie her into that world with his feelings?

Olivia nudged him. "Steve, did you hear me?"

He blinked, coming out of his own thoughts. "Sorry?"

"I asked where you were going tonight, which restaurant?"

"I don't know. The magazine organized it all."

"I think it's sweet you're doing this. You're really going to make this girl's day. A date with Captain America isn't something you're ever likely to forget."

Steve grimaced. "I just hope I'm not going to be too big of a disappointment. I'm not really great with the small talk."

"You'll be amazing, you always are." Olivia wrapped her arm around his as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Hey, there he is, Pretty Woman in the bought and paid for flesh," said Tony loudly as they walked out into the common room.

"Ignore him," said Bruce, not looking up from his newspaper.

"I always ignore him," said Steve flatly.

"Steve is doing something nice for someone," Olivia defended him. "I think it's lovely."

"That is one understanding girlfriend you've got there, Cap," noted Tony. "Pepper hates it when I date other women."

"Who is there left for you to date?" asked Bruce, still intent on his newspaper. "You've dated everyone in New York already and most of the rest of the East Coast."

"You're making me sound like a tramp," protested Tony.

"I was thinking slut but whatever," said Bruce idly.

"Don't listen to him," Tony instructed Olivia. "He's just jealous I can get any woman I want."

"How's that getting Pepper to marry you think working out?" asked Bruce, straight-faced.

"It's going great," snapped Tony, the other man touching a nerve.

Bruce finally looked up, peering at Tony over the top of his newspaper and his glasses. "So, she's finally said yes then?"

"Yes," said Tony defiantly.

Bruce arched an eyebrow.

"It was an inferred yes," backtracked Tony.

"How was it inferred?" Bruce quizzed him.

"She didn't say no."

"That's not how inference works," said Bruce dryly. "If it did, we'd be engaged."

"And you'd be lucky to have me," shot back Tony. "I'm a total babe."

Bruce went back to his newspaper, turning a page. "I think that word is pronounced boob."

Steve hid a smile at Bruce's casual sideswipes at the cocky Tony. Bruce didn't do a lot of talking but when he did, it was always worth listening to… unlike Tony.

Tony was looking at Olivia with his best put upon expression. "Do you see the kind of harassment I have to put up with, Livvy? What do you think of my treatment at the hands of such thankless houseguests?"

"I think you like being the center of attention and love having an audience," said Olivia simply.

Steve choked back a laugh at Olivia's forthrightness.

She blushed and looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry," said Olivia quickly. "I didn't mean to be rude."

"Don't ever apologize for the truth, Olivia," said Bruce with a little smile.

Tony's lips twitched. "No need for apologies, Livvy." He walked over and picked up her hand, bending down to kiss the back of it.

Steve stepped in and slapped the back of Tony's head, halting him in mid-gesture.

"Ow!" Tony rubbed the back of his head and glared at Steve. "I was just being a gentleman."

"I know what you were being," said Steve, glaring at him. "And you can cut it out now."

Tony held up his hand to his mouth to hide his mouth from Steve and addressed Olivia in a loud stage whisper. "Your boyfriend is worried about you being pulled into my powerful whirlpool of charisma, Livvy. Try to act like you don't find me attractive to put grandpa at ease. I know it will be hard but do your best."

Olivia laughed which annoyed Steve. "Would you just quit it already? Nobody thinks you're funny."

"Livvy does," said Tony smugly.

Steve looked at Bruce. "Is it just me or is he an extra level of annoying tonight?"

"Pepper's out of town," Bruce informed him. "Tony's at a loose end."

Steve groaned. "I hate it when Pepper's not around. She's the only one who can get him to shut up. When is she back?"

"Not until Sunday."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Great."

Olivia nudged him. "Steve, you really should get going otherwise you'll be late."

"That's right, run along Cinderella, before you turn back into a frog—"

"That isn't how that story goes," Bruce interrupted him.

Tony ignored him. "While you're gone, I'm going to teach Livvy how to make my world famous Mojitos."

"That is absolutely not happening," said Steve firmly. He took Olivia's hand. "Come on, walk me to the car." He started to lead Olivia away from the other two men.

Tony held his hand up to his ear, mimicking a phone and mouthing the words 'call me'.

"She's not calling you," said Steve in annoyance as they headed out of the room.

"You know he's only teasing you," said Olivia as they walked down the last couple of flights of stairs which led to the basement. "Tony Stark isn't interested in me. He's head over heels in love with Pepper. A blind man can see that."

"I know," said Steve moodily. "It just bugs me to see him flirting with you."

"Tony flirts with everyone," laughed Olivia.

"I know, that's why he's so good at it," grumbled Steve. Unlike him. Steve didn't have that easy banter and charm which Tony could turn on without even seeming to think about it.

"It doesn't mean anything."

"He makes you laugh." Steve knew he was being unreasonable but damn, if that didn't annoy him. They were in the garage now and Happy was sitting in the limousine, eating a bag of chips. He lifted a hand and waved it at the couple. Steve returned the gesture.

"But you're the one who makes me happy."

Olivia had Steve's full attention at that statement. He smiled down at her. "Yeah?"

"Oh yes," said Olivia, wrapping her arms around his waist, "so very happy." She bit her bottom lip. "You know, when you come over later, you could… umm… only if you wanted to, I mean… you could stay over, if you wanted."

Olivia was blushing yet again and Steve felt his own blood heat at her shy offer. "You want me to stay over?" he asked unevenly. Even though they'd been dating for nearly two months now, they actually hadn't slept together yet. It was a combination of a lot of things. Steve hadn't wanted to rush Olivia and their time together had been broken when he'd had to go away on missions with the Avengers. To be honest, he wasn't even sure what an acceptable amount of time to wait to for such things would be anyway. In his day it was traditional to wait until you were married and he didn't want to offend Olivia by suggesting anything that would make her feel uncomfortable or suggest that he didn't hold her in the highest of esteems.

"If you wanted to," said Olivia bashfully.

"I want to," said Steve quickly, a little too quickly and he tried to dial back his enthusiasm for the idea so as not to overwhelm her. He knew this was a big step for her. "Liv, are you sure? I'm not in any rush. We don't have to do anything you don't want to do." Steve held his breath, waiting for her to answer. He was offering her a restraint he wasn't entirely sure he had, now that she'd broached the subject between them.

Olivia laid her hands on chest and smiled softly up at him. "I want this," she reassured him. Olivia went up on her tip toes to kiss him and Steve eagerly met her halfway. How was he meant to get through this night when all he could think about was Olivia?

"Heads up, lovebirds, time and tide waits for no man." Happy's voice broke through the heady pleasure of their kisses and Steve reluctantly ended the kiss.

He grimaced. "I have to go."

"I know," she said huskily. "I'll be waiting for you when you're done."

Steve felt his heart skip a beat or two at just the thought of it. A ringing came from inside the car.

"That'll be your publicist, checking to see if we've left yet," predicted Happy. "She's already rung three times."

"I don't have a publicist," said Steve absently, still staring at the smiling Olivia.

"You do until this date thing is done and dusted," said Happy. "Let's go. I can't tell her you're in the bathroom again, not without her thinking you have some kind of urinary tract infection."

Steve finally let Olivia slip from his arms and he climbed into the back seat of the limo.

"Have fun," said Olivia.

Steve went to lean out and tell her that wasn't possible seeing as she wasn't coming but at the same moment Olivia chose to slam the door shut behind him. Steve's nose connected with the door with a painful crunch. He reeled back and grabbed his nose, giving a grunt of pain.

"Oh Steve!" gasped Olivia. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

"It's fine," said Steve hastily, still seeing a few stars as he blinked rapidly. "It's nothing."

"Your nose is bleeding," said Olivia unhappily.

Steve put a hand to his nose and felt the warm wetness there. "No biggie. I'll be fine." He smiled up at her reassuringly. "Super human, remember?"

"Sorry," said Olivia unhappily. "I really wish I would stop doing things like that to you."

"You're completely perfect just the way you are," said Steve firmly. "I don't want to change a single thing about you." He discretely wiped the blood from his nose. "I'll see you later on tonight, okay?"

Olivia nodded and smiled. "I'll be waiting." This time she closed the door more carefully as Happy started the car.

"Yes, I'm telling you, Jan, we're on our way. Captain America is in the car with me right now. We'll be there in ten minutes." Happy hung up before the conversation could become more involved. "That woman is a control freak."

"Thanks for driving me, Happy. You didn't have to. I know you have your hands full working as head of security with Pepper now."

Happy glanced at him via the rear vision mirror. "No problem. Truth is, I kinda miss the driving. I like it, soothes me."

"I wish I felt soothed," sighed Steve. "I really hate these public appearances things. I don't like all the attention."

"You should have thought of that before agreeing to that whole super soldier program."

"Yeah, hindsight is always twenty twenty," said Steve wryly. He looked down at his tie. "Damn."

"What's wrong?"

"I got blood on my tie." Steve went to pull it off his neck.

"Dating Olivia is hazardous to your health," noted Happy. "She's always slamming something of yours into something else."

"They're just accidents," Steve defended her. "It's not Olivia's fault."

"I know, you're the lightening reflexes guy. Why don't you just get out of her way more quickly?"

"I don't know," said Steve slowly. "I guess I'm always a little distracted when she is around."

Happy smiled. "Yeah, I can see why that might be the case. She's a beautiful woman that one. Nothing but class all the way. You got lucky."

Steve grinned. "I did, didn't I?"

"And then some."

He looked down at the blood spotted garment in his hands. "I guess we don't have time to go back and get another tie. Do you think it's bad form to turn up on a date without a tie?"

"I think you're Captain freakin' America and they're not going to care if you turn up dressed as a chicken and juggling kittens."

"A disturbing mental picture but thanks, I guess." Steve shoved the soiled tie into the breast pocket of his coat and squirmed a little in his seat. "I really don't want to do this."

"Hey, it's a free meal, what's not to like?"

"It feels disloyal to Olivia."

"She seems fine with it."

"I know." Steve paused. "What do you think that means? That she isn't jealous?" Maybe Olivia's feelings didn't run as deep as his. The thought was a depressing one to Steve.

"It means she thinks you're a good guy worthy of her trust." Happy shrugged. "Plus, this girl is probably going to be some kind of giant whackadoodle. Hardly any competition for Olivia."

Steve frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what kind of woman enters a competition like this?" Happy met his gaze in the mirror again. "Not a well-adjusted, normal kind of woman, that's for sure. These kinds of things always brings out the biggest assortment of fangirling weirdoes. She probably sleeps with a lock of your hair or something already."

"How would she get a lock of my hair?"

"If you want something bad enough, you can get anything."

"You're not helping, Happy. I'm nervous enough as it is."

"Don't worry, Cap, if needs be you should totally be able to take her in a fight. Unless she weighs three hundred pounds or something. Those big gals can put up a real fight."

"Now I'm fighting the woman?" he squawked. "A second ago I was just getting a free meal."

"I'm not gonna lie, these things can escalate quickly," said Happy casually. "I've tasered my fair share of groupies back in the day to know always to keep your eye on the exits and one hand free to protect your love junk."

"Oh God," said Steve weakly, slumping back in his seat. "Why did I agree to this?"

"Maybe it was fate?" suggested Happy. "Maybe you didn't have a choice at all."

"Still not making me feel better about any of this."

Happy was pulling up in front of a restaurant which was already full of reporters lined up outside. "Too late. We're here."

"Great," groaned Steve. Where was an international crisis when you needed one?

Happy turned in his seat to address him. "Remember, exits and protect the man jewels. The rest is gravy."

"Thanks, Happy," said Steve wryly. "Words to live by."

"Hey, they got me this far."

Steve took a fortifying breath as flashes started to go off around the car, reporters vying to get the first shots of Captain America out on a date with an all-American girl and send it out across to a waiting world. He'd been to war, fought off an alien invasion and been buried in ice for seventy years – how bad could tonight really be? And besides, he had something very special to look forward to at the end of it all. That thought alone was enough to propel Steve out of the limo and into the media frenzy, eager to get his obligations over and done with so he could end up where he really wanted to be that night. He blinked into the flash of cameras going off and simply wished away the next couple of hours.

**A/N****: Okay, have I intrigued you as to where this blind date is going or just lost you completely with my rambling? Lol Let me know if there is any interest in continuing this story. I really shouldn't have started this story as I'm still beavering away at a Sleepy Hollow fic I'm trying to get done and I really don't have the time but like I said, saw the movie and was inspired to revisit some of my old faves. :D **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N****: Thank you to all the kind people who took the time to review, follow and fave this story. I really appreciate it. :D It's lovely to see some familiar names following this fic. So glad I could entice you back for some more fun with the Avengers, this time highlighting Cap. ;) **

**Now, this chapter I hope won't be too confusing for you, so see how you go with it. Of course my concept is going to be fleshed out in coming chapters, so stay tuned but otherwise I hope you'll find this chapter intriguing enough to continue reading. **

**Hope to see you all in the next chapter… toodles. :D **

**CHAPTER TWO**

Steve cleared his throat and tried not to squirm in his chair. He forced a smile to his lips for the benefit of the young woman sitting across from him. "So, Sandy, have you always lived in New York?" Steve knew it was a weak question but he was struggling to find things to get the conversation started with the serious-looking woman sitting across from him who was regarding him intently through very thick glasses. Her light brown hair was tied back in a simple pony tail and she had a fitted Oriental-style dress on with a peacock emblazoned around the skirt which didn't seem to suit the withdrawn vibe Steve was picking up from her.

"No."

Steve waited, hoping she would elaborate on that single word answer but she just stared back at him with those owlish eyes of her. He scrambled to fill the silence. "I'm born and bred here myself."

"I know."

Of course she knew. Everyone knew the story of Steve Rogers aka Captain America. "How long have you lived here?"

"A year and one month."

She was oddly specific about time. "And what made you move to the Big Apple?" The waiter arrived with their meals and it was all Steve could do to beg the guy to stay and help him out with some conversation but he was already leaving.

"I had to."

Steve reached for the salt shaker to season his steak and paused. "You had to? Why's that?" He went to salt his steak.

"The lid is loose, you need to tighten it otherwise you'll ruin your meal."

Steve stopped and examined the salt shaker but couldn't see anything wrong with it, however when he touched the cap, it was indeed loose and he quickly screwed it down tightly. "Thanks."

"I had to move to New York otherwise I wouldn't have been eligible to enter the competition."

Steve stopped mid-salting and looked at her. "_This_ competition?"

"The rules said you had to live in New York for a minimum of a year to be eligible and the competition ran for a month. I've been here a year and one month."

Steve blinked. "But the competition didn't exist a year ago. Technically I didn't even exist a year ago. I was still under a lot of snow and ice, presumed dead."

"I know." Sandy picked up her spoon and took a sip of her soup.

Steve stared at the top of her bent head as she carefully spooned some of the vegetable soup into her mouth. He couldn't help his gaze wandering to the nearest exit, remembering Happy's words of advice but then he mentally chastised himself for being so judgmental. So, Sandy was a little strange, that wasn't a crime, right? After all, who was he to be so critical? Having dinner with a ninety-six year old man from the forties must be equally weird for her. Steve decided to just plough on regardless and ignore that last part. He glanced at the wall of reporters he could see lined up at the expensive New York restaurant window, camera's filming them eating and the curious looks from other patrons that they were garnering. "I'm sorry for all of the attention. This must be pretty weird for you."

"I'm used to it."

"You are?" asked Steve in surprise.

"This has happened to me all my life." Sandy put down her spoon and picked up the bread roll from her side plate and pulled it apart. She looked at him then. "But yes, it is a little strange to finally be here now. You dream about something for so long, when it's actually here, the reality feels like the dream, you know?"

Steve didn't now and that need to fidget uncomfortably in his seat was back. He was more or less used to different fans reactions to him back in the day but in this modern era he'd seen some pretty crazy things. The way modern people clung to celebrities and held them up as something they needed to know every little thing about was somewhat unnerving. Steve had never wanted to be famous, he'd just wanted to serve his country and do the right thing. Anything beyond that was something he was just having to learn how to live with. "Not really." He tried to get the conversation away from himself. "So, what do you do for a living, Sandy?"

"I restore heritage paintings for museums."

"Really?" said Steve in surprise. "Don't you need great eyesight for that?" He pulled a face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that I noticed your glasses."

"I have twenty twenty vision."

"With your glasses on."

"No, with my glasses off."

Steve stared at her and the very thick glasses she was wearing. "Then why do you the glasses?"

"So I can't see properly."

Okay, he'd breezed past the living in the New York thing, the competition thing and the media attention thing but this he had to stop and ask questions about. He couldn't help himself. "Why do you wear glasses _not_ to see properly?"

"Because I rarely like what I see when I my vision is clear. I'm happier bumping into a few things rather than—"

"Rather than what?"

"Rather than living with seeing things I don't want to see." Sandy sighed and then wrinkled her nose. "I'm sorry. No matter how many times we do this, I can never get it right. You always end up looking at me with that same, confused look on your face."

"No matter how many times we do what?" Steve had no doubt he had a confused look on his face because that was what he was, confused, thoroughly.

"Have dinner together."

"We've never had dinner together before," said Steve slowly.

"You haven't with me, but I have with you, hundreds of times, thousands in fact."

Steve didn't know what to say to that so he picked up his wine glass and had a long drink. It was one of the few times he regretted the fact he could no longer get drunk. Something told him having a little buzz on would help him understand this conversation a little better. Where was Tony and his Stark Raving Mad cocktails with their genetically modified strawberries when you needed them?

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

If there was one thing Steve knew for sure, you never told crazy people they were crazy. "Not at all."

"You're a terrible liar." Sandy sighed heavily. "I suppose I should start at the beginning." She gave a little, sad smile. "After all, it's the last time we'll be having this conversation."

"Some might argue this is the first time we'll be having this conversation," said Steve unevenly.

"I told you I've dreamt about this night for a long time and it's true."

"Okay."

"I mean it's literally true." Sandy sat back in her chair and folded her hands in front of her, looking like she was about to give a speech. "My earliest memory is of a dream of me having dinner in this place with pretty lights and a man sitting across from me. I had that dream at least once a week and for the longest time I didn't know who it was I was having dinner with. Then I went to school and learnt about the famous Captain America. I knew straight away that you were the man who'd been in my dreams for all of that time."

"You-you were dreaming about me before you knew who I was?" asked Steve hesitantly.

Sandy nodded. "Yes, about you, about this night. As I got older, the dreams became more frequent. I knew I'd win a competition to have this meal with you. I always knew I'd win, that's why I moved here, so this night could happen because it was always going to happen. The details would change a little. Sometimes you'd order a beer instead of wine, or your shirt would be a different color but apart from that, it was always the same. We'd talk about mostly the same things but sometimes you'd tell me something new, something you hadn't mentioned before." She half-smiled. "But you'd always mention the tie at some point."

"I'm not wearing a tie," pointed out Steve, not sure what to make of all of this. Sandy seemed lucid enough and she certainly seemed to believe everything she was saying but everything she was saying was impossible.

"But you have one tucked inside your coat pocket. It's blue but you're not wearing it because you got blood on it."

Steve tensed. "How could you know that?"

"Because you told me," said Sandy simply. "Then you'd always tell me about Olivia. You always lit up just saying her name." Her expression became sad. "I'm so sorry you'll never see her again."

Steve's entire body went rigid as he stared at her. "Why would you say that, what have you done to Olivia?" He spoke the words quietly, but in his head Steve was screaming them. This woman really was crazy and fear coiled in his stomach over her knowing Olivia's name and what kind of danger that might put Olivia in.

"Nothing, nothing is going to happen to Olivia, it's you, Steve," she said sadly. "You're going to die tonight."

"Who are you?" ground out Steve. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to help you," said Sandy sincerely. "I've always wanted to help you but I've never been able to work out how. All those dates we've had and I've tried everything to warn you but it always turns out the same. I've even tried not warning you to keep you safe but it doesn't matter, you always die, everyone always dies. I can't stop it, no matter how hard I try." She bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry, I truly am. I wish things could be different but I realized a long time ago that they just couldn't be." Sandy looked around herself and shook her head, expression full of regret. "And now the moment is finally here and it's stupid, but I thought there might be a way to save everyone." She looked at Steve. "That you'd work out a way to save yourself and everyone else but I don't think that is going to happen. This is fate and believe me, I've tried to stop things from happening before but it never works." She touched an unsteady hand to her glasses. "It never works," she repeated quietly.

"What is going to happen?" asked Steve sharply. "What have you done?"

"It's too late," she said unhappily.

"You said you wanted to help, prove it to me," said Steve intently. "Tell me what is going to happen."

Sandy glanced at the clock on the far wall. "At eight minutes past eight there is going to be an explosion on the street outside. Four workmen are underground intending to fix a leaking water pipe but they hit a gas main instead. They set off an explosion just as a tanker of petrol is going over the top. The tanker explodes and takes out every building in this block and the next. Hundreds of people die and you die trying to stop it from happening."

Steve looked at the clock on the wall. "That's three minutes away," he bit out. He didn't know if this woman was lying or crazy or covering for someone who actually intended to hurt a lot of people tonight but he couldn't take any chances. Steve jumped up in his seat. "Everyone needs to clear this restaurant!" he yelled at the startled diners. When they all just stared at him, Steve raised his voice. "Now! Everyone, get out and start running. You need to get at least two blocks from here!" For a brief moment everyone remained rooted to the spot, not knowing if this was some kind of publicity stunt or joke. Steve dashed across the room and hit the emergency sprinklers. The restaurant was immediately filled with rain as the diners were drenched. The restaurant filled with screams as people abandoned their meals and ran for the nearest exits. The waiting media outside went crazy, cameras flashing as Captain America ruined everyone's meals.

"It's no good, Steve," said Sandy in anguish as she remained at her seat, ignoring the sprinklers raining down water on her. "You can't save them. Everyone always dies. Everyone but me." She closed her eyes. "I always live and I always get to see it all. That's my punishment for not being able to work out how to stop it."

"Tell me where the workmen are," he bit out, refusing to accept such a fate.

"Down the street, on the left hand side," she said in resignation. "But you won't make it. You never make it."

Steve wasn't going to argue the point. Whatever this woman thought she knew or dreamed about, this was reality and in reality Steve knew he could stop this. He bolted from the restaurant, pushing his way through the reporters. "Everyone get out of here!" he shouted at them. "There is going to be an explosion!" Steve couldn't wait to see if they complied, instead he raced up the street and sure enough, ahead of him was a roped off open manhole with signage to warn that men were at work below. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a truck with petrol insignias pull up at the lights. It was unbelievable but everything Sandy said would happen was falling into place.

A workman stood guard over the top of the manhole and he held up a hand as Steve ran towards him. "Hold it there, buddy. You can't come any closer."

"There is going to be an accident," said Steve, not slowing his pace and easily side stepping him before jumping down the open manhole.

"Hey, come back here! You can't go down there!"

Steve's eyes quickly adjusted to the dark and he saw three men up ahead of him, two of them drilling into the wall. He ran towards them. "Stop what you're doing! Nobody move!"

The three men stared at him in disbelief, stopping the drilling. "Is that you, Cap?" asked one of them, peering at him through the gloom.

"Yes," said Steve quickly. "You're going to crack a gas main, you have to stop what you're doing."

"There are no gas mains running under this street," said another workman over the noise of the generator which was providing power to the drill. "We've got the plans right here." He pointed at a rolled up scroll by the still running generator.

"It doesn't matter what the plans say, you have to get out of—" Steve stopped as he heard a grumbling sound. They all froze and behind the three men a crack suddenly appeared in the concrete walls of the tunnel. The crack widened, making its way towards them at lightning speed. Steve grabbed the man closest to him to pull him out of the way. "Get out of here, run!" He instinctively reached for his shield on his back which wasn't there as he moved between the three men and the growing crack, the ground rumbling beneath his feet.

#

"Want to see a magic trick I'm working on?"

Bruce didn't stop watching his bag of microwavable popcorn slowly rotating in the microwave to address Tony's eager question. "No."

"Come on, I want to surprise Pepper with a magic-themed marriage proposal."

The microwave dinged and Bruce retrieved his bag of freshly popped corn. "How about you not propose for a day or two? That would be really surprising to Pepper."

"If I stop proposing to her, she'll think I don't care," protested Tony.

"Or she'll think you're finally listening to her," said Bruce wryly as he took a seat on the sofa and picked up the TV remote. With everyone out tonight, he finally might be able to watch that documentary on tree sloths in peace. If he could get rid of Criss Not So Angelic and his half-assed attempts at illusions that was.

"Pft," said dismissed Tony easily. "I hear what Pepper really means, not what she says."

"Ever consider that might be the reason she hasn't said yes to any of your proposals yet?"

"No, because it isn't. She's just being cautious and I'm just trying to prove to her there is nothing to be cautious about. That we're soul mates and as soul mates, it's our civic duty to get hitched."

"Trust you to take the concept of soul mates and make it sound as romantic as getting a boat license."

"Enough with the peanut gallery. You going to watch my trick or not?"

Bruce sighed heavily and turned his head, looking over at Tony as he stood in front of the wrap around glass windows of Stark Tower and out on the nightscape of the city below. Tony was holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and a lighter in the other. "If I watch your stupid trick, will you go away and leave me to enjoy my sloths in peace?"

"Maybe. I can't really predict how I'm going to feel in five minutes but hey, anything is possible."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Okay, let's get this over with. Show me the trick so I can tell you why Pepper won't be impressed."

"Oh, she'll be impressed," said Tony smugly. "Just watch this." He held up the lighter and flicked it on. As soon as he did, a part of the city behind him erupted in a huge ball of orange fire, the building beneath their feet actually shaking.

Bruce immediately straightened up in his seat. "Was that you?" he asked in disbelief. "Because if it was, you're right, that was one hell of an impressive trick." Tony had whirled around and was staring out the window. Bruce was quickly by his side and looking out the window too. "Please tell me that was you and I'm looking at an illusion," said Bruce as he watched the expanding fire in distress.

Tony was already backing up. "I'm suiting up," he said urgently. "I suggest you do too because that wasn't me."

Bruce looked down at the destruction below and closed his eyes, knowing a lot of people were going to be dead already. He knew there was a good reason he hated magic shows.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N****: Hi guys, thanks for coming back to check out the next chapter. :D **

**I hope this chapter answers some questions… and perhaps poses some more. ;) **

**Hope you enjoy…**

**CHAPTER THREE**

"I swapped it out, the blue one is better."

Steve blinked at his own reflection in the mirror, hands still up at his chest where he'd just finished buttoning the top button of his dress shirt. He stared at the man looking back at him, momentarily disorientated and he didn't know why.

"Steve, did you hear me, I said you should wear the blue tie." Olivia's reflection joined him in the mirror and he turned around slowly to look at her. She frowned slightly. "You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Steve shook his head, trying to clear it. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just…" he trailed off, not knowing what had just happened other than feeling strange for a moment. Steve grimaced. "This is weird. Right? It's weird, I shouldn't go." Even as the words came out of his mouth Steve was struck with an odd sense of déjà vu. But then, he'd been saying more or less the same thing since he was railroaded into this silly date competition idea so it really wasn't that surprising.

"Bend down," Olivia instructed him and Steve leaned over so she could reach to put the tie around his neck. He straightened up and Olivia started to do up his tie. "You agreed to do this and you should keep your word."

Steve blinked a couple of times, her words resonating with him strangely. "I don't want this to be weird for you."

Olivia smiled. "It's not. I mean, it wouldn't bother you if I went on a purely platonic date organized by a third party, would it?" She finished tying his tie and went to move away.

Steve grabbed at her waist, staring at her intently as her words rattled around in her head.

"Steve, you're hurting me," said Olivia, wiggling a little in his grasp.

Steve hadn't realized how tight a grip he had on her waist and he immediately released it, face lining with contrition. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

Olivia gave a little laugh and rubbed one hip. "Yeah, I'm okay, but what were you thinking just then?"

"I don't want you to date any other man but me," he said hoarsely, his voice sounding strange even to him.

"I'm not." Olivia's lips quirked. "It was a hypothetical to let you know that I'm not bothered by this date tonight." She wrinkled her nose. "Unless you have too much fun, of course. I don't want you to like her better than me."

"I don't have fun and I couldn't like anyone better than you," said Steve quickly.

"You _don't_ have fun?" repeated Olivia. "Sweetie, you can't talk about something in the past tense if you haven't done it already." She wrinkled her nose prettily. "Sorry, I know you know that. I'm teaching the kids the concept of past and present tense at school at the moment and sometimes I forget I don't have to be Miss O'Brien all the time."

"I happen to think Miss O'Brien is adorable and she can correct me any time." He put an unsteady hand to his suddenly throbbing temple.

"Steve, are you sure you're alright?" Olivia's brow was wrinkled in concern.

"Just a bit of a headache."

She looked at him in surprise. "You never get headaches… or sick or anything."

"I know." He smiled brightly, not wanting to make her worry. "It's nothing. It'll be gone in a minute but you know what would make me feel better right now?"

"Advil?" suggested Olivia innocently. "I can go and get you some."

Steve gave a little laugh and drew her into his arms. "I was thinking of a different kind of pain relief." He bent his head and went to kiss her but then stopped, a fierce scowl on his face. "Stark."

"Hey, Captain Frostbite, duty calls!"

Olivia jumped in his arms and stared up at him in amazement. "How did you know that was going to happen?"

"How did he know what was going to happen?" asked Tony's disembodied voice.

"I told you, Stark, I want that intercom out of my apartment!" snapped Steve.

"Can't, it's part of my upgraded security system for the tower."

"It's intrusive and annoying, just like you."

"Boy, you're rude. I don't know what you see in the guy, Olivia."

"Be nice to Steve, Tony," said Olivia. "He isn't feeling well."

"I'm fine," said Steve quickly. He glared at the ceiling. "I just don't like being spied on."

"I'm not spying on you. What would be the point? You're the human equivalent of watching paint dry."

"Just tell Happy I'm on my way," ground out Steve.

"You know Happy is driving you tonight?"

Steve blinked. "Yeah, I do."

"I just asked him to do it five minutes ago. How do you know?" Tony paused. "You spying on me or something?"

"Spying on you would be like a visit to the urologist – unpleasant and something you'd want to forget quickly."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

Steve shook his head in disbelief. "How could anyone take that as a compliment?"

"Five minutes, Cinderella, or Happy turns back into a pumpkin."

"I wish," said Steve morosely. "I really don't want to do this."

Olivia shook her head at him. "This girl entered a competition and won a date with the one and only Captain America. You have to go Steve. You said you would and now you can't disappoint a fan. It wouldn't be right."

"Nothing about this is right," sighed Steve. There was a niggle in the back of his head which wouldn't relent. He didn't know what it was about but the feeling of impending doom was growing inside of him.

"Come on," said Olivia, taking his hand and drawing him towards the elevator. "You don't want to be late."

They were in the elevator when Olivia put her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. "I was thinking," she said shyly. "When you're done tonight, maybe you'd like to come over and… ah, you know, maybe stay the night?"

Steve's eyes widened and his head felt like it was spinning.

Olivia drew back and looked suddenly embarrassed when he didn't respond right away. "Or not," she said quickly. "I-I didn't mean to make things awkward. You don't have to stay over. Forget I said anything."

"I never forget anything you say," said Steve, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck. "And I certainly wouldn't want to forget something like that."

"Do-do you think it's too soon?" she asked awkwardly. "I don't want to you to think I'm-I'm, you know—"

Steve stopped her stammering explanation with a hard kiss. The strange sensations left him when he was kissing her and it was just one more reason for Steve to never want to stop. He finally broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, both of them a little breathless. "I think you're amazing and there is nothing more I want in this world then to be able to stay over tonight with you."

Olivia bit her bottom and smiled up at him, face lighting up. "Really?"

"More than anything."

Olivia went up on her tip toes and grabbed at his tie, pulling Steve's lips down onto hers and he returned her kiss just as passionately, losing himself in her completely.

"Hey, lovebirds, you want to keep it PG13 for the easily traumatized amongst us?"

"Leave them alone, Tony, they're having a moment. Let them have a moment."

Steve groaned into the kiss as he realized the elevator doors had slid open at some point and they were now in full view of everyone in the common room, which happened to be Tony and Bruce right then. "There is no privacy in this place," he complained, giving Olivia an apologetic look as she blushed and quickly straightened her skirt, not looking at the other two men.

"Privacy is overrated," said Tony dismissively.

"How would you know 'I am Ironman'? asked Steve flatly. "You've never tried it."

"Hey, I'm not the only one who is a living, breathing product placement," protested Tony.

"Not through choice," said Steve in annoyance. "I didn't decide to be famous, it just happened."

Tony shrugged. "I was born famous."

"And humble," interjected Bruce as he turned the page of his newspaper. "Don't forget humble."

"I think you mean infamous," countered Steve. "You like attention and publicity. I don't."

"I use it to my advantage, rather than trying to fight it," argued Tony. "There is a difference."

"The difference being you enjoy it," insisted Steve. "A normal person wouldn't."

Tony's lips twitched. "Did you just call me extraordinary?"

"No," said Steve roundly.

"Pretty sure you did."

"Pretty sure I didn't," snapped Steve.

"Okay you two, enough with the bickering," interrupted Olivia. "You're not fooling anyone with it anyway. Everyone knows you really care for each other."

Tony sucked in an overly dramatic breath and jabbed a finger at her. "You're just very lucky I like you so much, Livvy, otherwise my lawyers would have you up on libel charges with that kind of crazy talk."

"All of a sudden this date seems infinitely preferable to standing here and being involved in any more of this conversation," muttered Steve. "I'll just be glad when Pepper is back on Sunday so she can take you off our hands."

Tony tilted his head at him and looked confused. "How do you know Pepper's gone until Sunday? I just got off the phone to her before you arrived and she told me she had to stay and extra day."

Steve hesitated and rubbed his head. "I don't know."

Bruce was looking at him intently now. "Are you okay, Steve?"

"Yeah, fine," said Steve, for what felt like the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.

"Maybe you shouldn't go after all," worried Olivia. "Maybe you are coming down with something."

"I'm not coming down with anything," said Steve firmly. "I just need to get this date over and done with." He smiled determinedly down at Olivia. "Walk me to the car?"

She smiled. "Of course."

"Have fun," said Tony. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Is there _anything_ you wouldn't do?" asked Bruce dryly.

"Probably. You'd have to give me a moment to think what that might be, but I'd definitely come up with something... definitely maybe." Tony cocked his head. "Probably wouldn't let a chimpanzee give me a vasectomy." He pursed his lips. "An orangutan maybe, but not a chimp. Orangutans have longer fingers, that's got to be a good thing in surgery, right?"

Bruce was just staring at him. "I can't believe how low the bar has been set for being able to call yourself a genius these days."

Tony arched an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know you were so anti-orangutan, Doctor Banner. What's up with that?"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "It's moments like these I really miss when I used to live under a bridge and have no one to talk to."

Steve and Olivia were already in the elevator which would take them down to the garage, making it easy to ignore the rest of that odd conversation which could probably go on all night. When the elevator doors opened, Happy was standing by the car, on the phone.

"Yes, yes, we're on our way. I'm pulling into Thirty-Third Street as we speak." He hung up and made a face at them. "Jan Vanderling is so far up my butt I'm going to start charging her rent."

"Who is Jan Vanderling?" asked Olivia.

"My publicist," said Steve distractedly.

"You have a publicist?" asked Olivia in surprise.

"I do until this date is over." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Steve felt dizzy. He put a steadying hand on the car and tried to disguise it as though he was getting ready to open the car door.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Happy. "Sorry to give you the bum's rush, Steve, but we need to pull the lead out here. Apparently every reporter in New York is waiting to take Prom pictures of you and your date."

"Great," said Steve dourly.

"Have fun," said Olivia, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I know you'll be sweet to her."

"I'd rather be sweet to you," he grumbled as he opened the car door and slid in.

"That'll be later tonight," said Olivia and then blushed furiously but she maintained impish eye contact with him.

Steve grinned up at her and went to lean out to tell her he couldn't wait just as Olivia slammed the door shut. Without thinking he put a hand up and caught the door before it slammed into his face.

"Oh!" gasped Olivia. "I'm so sorry, Steve. Thank heavens you've got good reflexes otherwise I could have really hurt you."

Steve looked at the door he still held in his hand, wondering why his nose was tingling when there had been no impact whatsoever. "Way ahead of you, sweetheart."

"For once," he heard Happy mutter from the front seat. In a louder voice Happy addressed them both. "Sorry, guys, we've got to rock and roll. I can't take another phone call from that Jan woman."

Olivia stepped back and gave a little wave as the car pulled away. "See you soon."

Steve returned the wave and then sat back in his seat, rubbing at his still tingling nose. "I'm having a weird night, Happy."

"Weird how?"

"Weird like I can't shake this feeling of déjà vu."

"Maybe you got low blood sugars? I always feel a little hinky when I get low blood sugars. Dinner should fix that, even if it most likely is going to be with a whack job fan."

"Exits and love junk," mumbled Steve.

Happy looked at him in the rear vision mirror. "Hey, have I given you that speech before? Cause it's good advice."

"Yes, no, I don't know," said Steve, rubbing the back of his neck. _What the heck was wrong with him tonight? _

"Trust me, I've got a long and inglorious history of dealing with groupies and have the scars to prove it. Remember, crazy, not stupid."

"Funny, I'm feeling kind of both right now," said Steve unevenly.

"That'll be the low blood sugars," said Happy knowingly.

"I hope so," sighed Steve. Before he knew it they were at the restaurant and stopping in front of a barrage of reporters, all eager to get their shot of Captain America on a date. Steve felt like a zoo animal on display.

Happy turned in his seat. "Good luck and if you can, doggy bag me something. The food in this place is amazing."

"I'll try," said Steve as he climbed out of the car. He blinked in the glare of camera flashes and then a tall, thin women in her early fifties with a lot of bangles around her arms pounced on him from out of nowhere.

"Steve, so happy to finally meet. I'm Jan Vanderling, the publicist for 'Girlfriend' and at your disposal tonight. You're a complete doll for doing this for our magazine." She was dragging him towards the front of the restaurant. "Come and meet your lovely date for the night."

The reporters were calling out to him, talking over the top of each other.

"_Hey, Cap, is this your first date in seventy years?" _

"_Are you a subscriber to 'Girlfriends' or are you just a casual reader?" _

"_What's Captain America's idea of a perfect date?" _

Thankfully Steve wasn't given an opportunity to answer any of their questions as he was ushered towards his fate.

Jan stopped walking and made a flourishing gesture with her hand, all those bangles jingling together musically. "And here is our lucky winner, Kassandra Knight. Kassandra, say hello to none other the Captain America."

"I prefer Sandy," said the woman with the thick glasses quietly.

Steve stared at the peacock wrapping itself around the Oriental-style dress his date was wearing, eyes drifting up to see the somber looking young woman staring back at him through impossibly thick glasses. "I know you," he said hoarsely, reeling as memories crowded his brain of lose salt shaker lids and a terrible explosion.

Sandy's eyes were on his chest. "You're wearing the tie," she said in surprise. Sandy blinked up at him. "You never wear the tie, it should have blood on it." She shook her head and looked confused. "You never wear the tie."

Jan's smile became a little strained. "Okay, kids, enough with the small talk, let's all smile for the cameras."

She pushed Steve towards Sandy and swung him around so they were front and center for the cameras. "Everybody smile for the birdie."

Steve wasn't paying any intention, eyes boring into Sandy. "How do I know you?"

"You don't," said Sandy. "I know you."

"There's going to be an explosion," said Steve slowly, piecing together fragments of his memory.

Sandy's eyes went wide. "You can't know that yet."

He looked down at his watch and it read 7:41. "I've got over twenty minutes to stop the gas main being cut," said Steve, his voice raising a little. "I can do this."

"I'm sorry, but what is going on?" asked a very confused sounding Jan.

Sandy was staring at him in disbelief. "But you don't know about the gas main. You never know about it."

"I know about it now," said Steve grimly, happy to figure out the how and the why at another time. All he knew was that he could stop a horrible accident from happening. He turned on his heel and just started to run, pushing his way through the startled wall of reporters.

"Captain Rogers!" cried out Jan in distress but Steve didn't stop.

Memories of the flesh being torn from his body assaulted him as he remembered the other explosion. He hadn't been able to stop it then but by some strangeness he couldn't begin to comprehend, Steve knew he was being given a second chance. His feet pounded the concrete beneath them as he ran down the street, stopping at the offending manhole cover just as two workmen were unloading a large generator from the back of a work truck and another two had just taken the cover off the manhole between them. Steve skidded to a halt in front of them. "Stop what you're doing!" he ordered them, hands up in front of him.

One of the workmen holding the generator squinted at him. "Is that you, Cap?"

"Yes," said Steve loudly, "you can't do any drilling here tonight."

The men looked at each other. One spoke up. "Why not?"

"Because you're going to drill through a gas main." Steve could see the men had some reservations but this was one of those times that he was glad his reputation preceded him.

"You heard the Captain," said one of the men holding the generator. "No drilling tonight."

Steve released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he realized he'd made it in time. He didn't know how he'd been given a second chance but Steve was grateful for it.

The two men went to raise the generator up onto the back of the truck again, using the same ropes they'd employed to lower it. One of the men stepped back to get a better footing but came down on a lose piece of piping instead. His foot shot out from under him and he dropped his end of the generator. The piece of large equipment crashed to the ground and rolled once to fall promptly down the open manhole. Steve jumped forward on instinct to try and grab it but he was too far away. He just made it to the edge of the hole in time to see a spark arc up from the metal contacting with the concrete below. It instantly ignited the petrol-filled generator and then there was just a wall of flames bursting out from the hole, burning the flesh from Steve's bones before the force of the explosion tore him limb from limb.

#

"Argh!" grunted Steve, sitting bolt upright in his seat.

Happy was looking at him in concern through the rear vision mirror. "You okay, Cap?"

Steve's head was spinning. "Where am I?"

Happy glanced out the window. "On Eighteen Street, about to turn into—"

"We're on our way to the restaurant?" he interrupted, blood pounding in his ears. "Again?" _What the hell was going on? Why did this keep happening?_

"Ah… well, I don't know about again but yeah, I'm driving you to your hot date. Now, if you want my advice when it comes to handling whack job fans—"

Steve put his hands to his still spinning head and tried to think what to do next, adrenalin racing through his entire body as he tried to work out how to get ahead of whatever it was that kept happening to him before it was too late… again.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N****: Thank you to all who have been kind enough to leave me reviews for this story. It really encourages me to keep going with this one. :D **

**I've always been fascinated by timey whimey things (thank you Dr Who ;) ) and I figured seeing as Cap is a man outside of his own time, he was a perfect fit for this kind of story. **

**Anyways, I hope I've intrigued you enough to keep on reading to see where this all ends up. Thanks again for your support with this story…**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Happy, you have to help me get to that restaurant in time!" said Steve urgently.

Happy was eyeing him in the mirror again. "Pretty sure that's what I'm already doing."

"No, this has all happened before and it ends in an explosion that kills hundreds of people."

"Okaay," said Happy slowly, "I haven't had to say this for a while when chauffeuring someone around since Tony got on the wagon but what did you take? You didn't find a pill back there and pop it, did you?"

Steve made an agitated noise. "I'm being serious."

"So am I. Anything could be back there. You just never know with Tony. I once found a lemur asleep in the backseat when I was cleaning out the limo."

"I'm not high," said Steve in frustration. "I need you to – wait, a lemur?"

"Yeah, Tony got drunk this one time and raided a zoo. It could have been worse," said Happy philosophically. "He had a thing for hammer head sharks for a while there."

Steve shook his head, not having the time to go into stories of the exploits of Tony Stark. "Happy, I need you to listen to me very carefully," he said urgently. "I keep having the same thing happen to me over and over again. I die tonight, in an explosion."

There was a long pause from the front seat and then Happy finally spoke. "And when you say die—"

"I mean I'm blown limb from limb in a gas explosion. I've had it happen twice now."

"You seem pretty intact to me." Happy wrinkled his nose as he pulled up at the lights. "At least physically anyways."

Steve gritted his teeth, trying to keep his patience. "I get blown up and then I wake up on my way to this date, only to do it all over again."

"You're Groundhogging it?" asked Happy in disbelief.

Steve stared at him in the mirror blankly. "I don't know what that means."

"It's a movie where this guy wakes up on the same day over and over again. The movie is called Groundhog Day."

"Seriously?" asked Steve in surprise. "How did the movie end? How did he get out of doing the day over and over again?"

"From memory he slept with Andie McDowall."

Steve gave a grunt of annoyance. "Somehow I don't think sleeping with a guy is going to fix my problem."

"Andie McDowall isn't—"

"Happy, please, I need you to focus," interrupted Steve. "Hundreds of people are going to die unless I can get to one street over from the restaurant before 8:08 tonight."

"A shortcut," concluded Happy. "Now you're talkin' my language. I know this city like the back of my hand. Hold tight."

Happy suddenly pulled out into the next lane and hung a sharp right down an alleyway. Steve stuck out his hands to steady himself at the violent maneuver as Happy skillfully took them through numerous side streets. The whole time, Steve's mind was racing. He had to keep that worker's truck far away from the gas line and neutralize the generator before there was an opportunity for any kind of mishap. Happy was weaving through the traffic, making good time and then Steve caught a glance of something in the rear vision and twisted in his seat. Behind them was the city truck with the four workmen. "Stop the car!" yelled Steve. "That's them."

"This ain't really a great place to stop—"

"Stop the car!" Steve insisted.

Happy slammed on the brakes just before an intersection where the lights were green. Immediately the air was filled with noisy honks from irate drivers. Happy stuck his head out the window. "Go round me, you losers!" he shouted back at them. "You've got the technology!"

Steve's hand was on the door, ready to bolt from the car and stop the workers from going any further when a bright orange corvette sped past them in an effort to catch the green light, sideswiping their limo in the process.

Happy quickly pulled his head back in, narrowing avoiding losing it to the speeding car. "Where you gotta be in such a hurry?" he shouted to the car which was already two blocks away. "Yeesh, some people."

"You okay, Happy?" asked Steve quickly at the close call.

Happy twisted in his seat to look back at him. "Yeah, I'm goo—" He didn't get to finish his sentence as there was a loud bang up ahead of them and Happy quickly turned back in his seat to see what had happened. The orange corvette had caused an accident up ahead at an intersection and the cars in front of them were all forced to sharply slam on their brakes. The truck in front of them had heavy panels of glass strapped to the back and it didn't stop in time, ramming the car in front of it. The force of the impact broke one of the ties of the glass panels and one of the sheets flew off the back of the truck and through the windscreen. The glass shattered in both the panel and the windscreen but one large piece made it through of their limo, striking Happy front on. It all happened so fast, Steve barely had time to register what he was seeing. "Happy!" he reached forward and grabbed at the other man's shoulder. Happy's head lolled forward and then just kept going. Steve recoiled in horror as he realized Happy had been decapitated by the large shard of glass. "No, no, no!" He scrambled out of the car and yanked on Happy's door, not wanting to leave him like that. A woman behind him screamed as she caught sight of all the blood. "Call an ambulance!" he shouted, knowing there was no point but needing to feel like he was doing something. Behind him he heard the screech of heavy brakes locking up. Steve turned to see the tanker truck full of petrol skidding along the road after coming up too quickly on the accident scene. The tanker crashed into the intersection full of stationary cars. He saw the sparks fly from the impact and then there was an orange ball of flame erupting from the truck as the petrol it was carrying was ignited. Steve had no time to shout even a warning as he was picked up by the force of the blast with the now familiar feeling of the flesh being seared from his bones.

#

"The lid is loose, you need to tighten it otherwise you'll ruin your meal."

Steve froze, salt shaker poised over his steak as he realized he was back in the restaurant again. "Happy," he rasped in distress, the memory of the other man's death still seared into his brain.

"Not really, no."

Steve blinked and put down the salt shaker, grabbing for Sandy's arm. "Who are you? What is this?"

Sandy frowned. "You know who I am and this is a date I won." Her lips twisted. "Lucky old me."

"We've done this before," said Steve sharply. "And it always end in people dying, a lot of people dying. You need to tell me exactly what this is so I can stop it."

Sandy's mouth opened and closed a couple of times. "You-you've done this before?"

"Just like you," said Steve intently. "You told me that you've gone on this date a thousand times."

"I dreamed about this date a thousand times," she said slowly. "But this is the first time I've been on it."

"This is my third." Steve grimaced. "Technically my second time. I didn't make it the third time because I tried to get a head of that work truck but it didn't work out that great." That was an understatement. Part of Steve wanted to ring Happy to make sure he was really was okay but knew he would be. He just never wanted to see anything like that happen to the guy again. "Every time I fail to stop the explosion, time resets itself and I'm back at a different point of the evening, just before the accident happens." His grip tightened on her arm. "You have to tell me how to stop this."

"You can't stop this," said Sandy earnestly. "Believe me, I've dreamed this night over and over again and you never stop it."

"But it isn't a dream this time. It's really happening."

"How can that be?" asked Sandy unsteadily.

Steve pulled a face. "I was kind of hoping you could answer that."

"I have no idea why time is resetting for you, I really don't."

Steve made a noise of frustration, glancing at the clock. They had eleven minutes. "Okay, tell me what you do know then. You said on another date that you've had the dream about this night since you were a little girl, before you knew who I was?"

"Y-yes. At first I just dreamed about the beginning of the date and it was nice. I had fun and you were very sweet. But then as I got older, the dreams progressed and when I was twelve I finally dreamt all the way through to the end of the date." Sandy bit her bottom lip. "I saw everyone die. I saw you die, over and over again."

"Did you ever tell anyone about your dreams?" Steve was trying to work all of this out. Before he would have dismissed what she was saying as an impossibility but after having lived through more than one impossible thing in his lifetime already, he was willing to keep an open mind. Particularly if it ended up saving lives.

"When I was younger I did." Sandy looked away abruptly. "That wasn't a great idea." She gave a little shrug. "So, I just stopped."

"This date, is that all you ever dreamed about?"

She nodded. "That's the only dream I've ever remembered, yes, but—"

Steve leaned forward as she hesitated. "But?"

"But I started to be able to see things," Sandy confessed reluctantly.

"What kind of things?"

Sandy squirmed in her seat, her glasses sliding down her nose. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"Sandy, please," he pleaded with her. "I need to know so I can work out how to stop this from happening."

Her eyes flicked up to his, blinking owlishly at him through those thick glasses. "What makes you think you're meant to stop it?"

"Why would I keep getting all these chances if I'm not meant to stop it? Why would you be given all those dreams to warn us both?"

"Maybe because God hates us?" she said dully. "Maybe we're being punished?"

"For what?"

Sandy shrugged, her expression downcast. "He's God, He doesn't have to make sense."

"That's not the God I was taught about," said Steve emphatically. "I have to believe that we're being given these chances for a reason and that reason is to save lives." He loosened his hold on her arm and took her hand instead. "Please, Sandy," said Steve quietly, "tell me what you see. Help me figure this out. I know we can work this out together. You just have to have a little faith."

Sandy looked down at their entwined hands, looking torn. "How people die," she blurted out at last. "I see how people die." Sandy touched a hand to her glasses, pushing them back up her nose. "That's why I wear the glasses, so I can't see." She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "I can't see all that death anymore, I just can't."

"You see how everyone is going to die?"

Sandy shook her head. "No, not everyone and not all the time. It just happens without any warning. I can't control it or stop it." Her expression became haunted. "Do you know what it's like to go through life and only see death? To look at the faces of people you love and see how they're going to die?"

"No, I don't," said Steve honestly, "but I've buried a lot of people I've loved and what I do know is that I'd given everything for a chance to save even one of them."

"Death is inevitable," she said in despair. "It comes for all of us."

"But it doesn't have to happen tonight, not for these people." Steve looked around the restaurant. "Can you take off your glasses and tell me what you see?"

"I know what I'll see," said Sandy unhappily.

"Please, Sandy, just try, for me."

She hesitated briefly but then reluctantly removed her glasses. Sandy looked around the room slowly, finally meeting Steve's enquiring gaze. "Everyone dies," she said hollowly. "They're all blown apart. Most of them I can't even recognize as people."

Steve regretted putting her through this but he had no option. "And me?"

Sandy's gaze drifted over him. "You're missing an arm, half your face is gone and you're burnt, really, really badly burnt." She hastily shoved her glasses back on and looked down at the table top.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," said Steve contritely.

"It's not the first time," she said dully. "It won't be the last."

"And you're sure that there is nothing more you can tell me about how to stop all of this?" Steve tried to keep the frustration from his voice. "Why I keep reliving this night?"

Sandy slowly shook her head, looking puzzled. "I really don't know why this is happening to you. In my dreams everyone but me dies, that's all. I can't explain why you keep repeating things. I've never had anything like this happen before."

Steve looked at the clock again. "I've got five minutes." It wasn't long but Steve knew he could make it in time. He let go of Sandy's hand and stood up.

Sandy clutched at his hand. "Please."

Steve looked down at her in surprise.

"Please, don't go, stay."

"I can't," said Steve quickly. "I have to try and stop this."

"I'm always alone when it happens," said Sandy in a small voice. "I'm always alone, knowing what is going to happen and every single time I'm terrified, even when I knew it was just a dream." Tears filled her eyes. "I don't want to be alone again, not this time."

Steve was torn. "Sandy, I have to go. I'm the only one who can stop this."

She tightened her grip on him. "You can save us next time."

He grimaced. "I don't know if there will be a next time. I don't know how many do overs I'm going to get. This could be my last one." Steve was very aware of time running out for him and everyone else.

"You told me to have a little faith," said Sandy softly. "Can you do the same and trust that this isn't your last chance to do something? You keep saying you're meant to save everyone, which is why this is all happening. If that's true, then you can stay with me this one time because you'll be given another chance."

Steve stared at her, trapped by his own words but then what did faith without action really amount to anyways? He slowly sat down again, realizing that he couldn't deny this tortured young woman her request. Sandy was right, he either had faith that he was meant to fix this or he didn't.

Relief flooded Sandy's face. "Thank you," she said emotionally. "Thank you."

"I'm going to save you, Sandy," Steve vowed to her. "I'm going to save you and everyone else. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

A single tear rolled its way down Sandy's pale cheeks and she managed a wobbly smile. "I want to believe you, I really do."

"Then believe me," said Steve earnestly. "I'm not giving up on you or anyone else tonight. We're going to figure this out." He drew in a steadying breath, acutely aware of what he was about to go through yet again tonight. "Next time. We'll figure it out next time."

Sandy slowly nodded. "I believe you," she breathed. "I know it's impossible, but I believe you."

"I'm a walking impossibility," said Steve with a wry smile. "Trust me, it's my specialty." He looked up at the clock again. Less than a minute. It was an odd sensation to simply sit there and wait for certain death. It went against every fighting instinct Steve had but he remained in his seat and smiled warmly at the pensive young woman across from him. "Did I tell you that you look really beautiful tonight yet?"

Sandy's eyes widened a little. "N-no."

"You do," said Steve simply. "Any guy would be lucky to be sitting where I am now." This stoic young woman had been through so much in her life, it was hard to imagine what it must have been like for her growing up with such a confronting gift. It would have been lonely. Steve could understand loneliness.

"Oh," she breathed and then shook her head. "How can you say that? You know what is going to happen next."

"Yes," said Steve without hesitation, "I'm going to save you and in the meantime, you're not alone." He held her gaze unflinchingly. "I'm here."

Sandy's shoulders sagged as though she'd just been unburdened of a great weight. "I've been alone for so long," she whispered.

"Not tonight," he promised her. Steve covered her hand with his and continued to hold her gaze, knowing it wasn't long now. The tanker truck whizzed by the restaurant window behind Sandy and then there was the sound of the initial explosion. Steve's hand tightened on hers as the second explosion came from the tanker truck being caught up in the disaster. The noise was deafening and an orange glow lit the restaurant briefly and then the destructive waves of the explosion rolled in and the world dissolved in front of Steve as he was ripped from his seat, limbs separating from his body…

**A/N****: Okay, so, next chapter we'll revisit Tony and Bruce again. Here's hoping they'll be able to help our boy Cap out with getting to the bottom of all of this… or will they just make things worse? Hope you'll join me to find out. :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N****: Hi all, thank you so much for joining me for this chapter. **

**I'm having such a ball writing this fic and I'm seriously falling more in love with Steve with every chapter. I've always been the biggest Tony fan and I still adore him but I have a different kind of love for each of my superhusbands – Tony, Steve and Bruce. 3 I love writing for them. This chapter is a lot of dialog between them and I hope people don't find it too boring but I just love writing their interactions. So much so, I'm already planning the next story for this series which will include the rest of the Avengers and a return of Darcy, whom I also adore writing for the sassy little sidekick. ;) **

**But that's a story for another day, literally. Let's see if I can fill in a few blanks with this chapter as to what might be happening with Steve. **

**Hope you enjoy…**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

"Hey, there he is, Pretty Woman in the bought and paid for flesh."

Steve tensed as he snapped back into his body, still feeling the aftershocks of the explosion in every cell of his body. _These transitions weren't getting any smoother._ He shook his head to clear it.

"Ignore him," said Bruce, not looking up from his newspaper.

"Are you alright, Steve?" asked Olivia, obviously having felt him go rigid beside her. She put a concerned hand on his stomach and Steve quickly covered it with his own.

"I'm fine," he rasped.

Bruce bent down the top of his newspaper and peered at him over the top of his glasses. "You don't sound fine."

Steve knew he had in the room with him two brilliant minds. If anyone could figure out what was happening to him, they could. "I need your help," he said urgently.

Tony was pouring himself a glass of scotch. He looked Steve over and waved the hand with the scotch bottle in it at him. "Nothing works on that outfit except for the tie and that includes your seven dollar haircut."

"Steve looks very handsome," said Olivia quickly.

"You heard what I said about the haircut, right?" asked Tony skeptically. "To be honest, he was ripped off at seven dollars. Anything more than a buck fifty for that monstrosity is nothing short of daylight robbery."

"I need to know everything you two know about time travel," said Steve, ignoring Tony's comments.

"No such thing," said Tony blithely as he strolled over to them. "There, you're all caught up."

"It does exist and I'm living proof," said Steve intently.

Tony blew out a long-suffering breath and shook his head at him. "Okay, once more with feeling. No, you're not, Rip Van Red White and Blue, you're just a guy who slept through his alarm clock. Time moved on around you. All you did was have a time out… for about seventy years. That doesn't count as time travel."

"Not my time in the ice," said Steve stubbornly. "I mean right now."

Olivia looked really worried now. "Steve, what's going on?"

He grimaced, knowing he was scaring her. "I'm sorry, Liv, it's going to be okay. Don't worry." Steve looked back at the other two men. "I'm caught in some kind of time loop. I keep going through this night again and again. One of you egg heads needs to tell me why it's happening and more importantly, how to stop it."

Tony pursed his lips and cocked his head. "I'm thinking medication. What's your stance on Clozapine? That should take the edge off."

"Enough with the jokes, Stark," snapped Steve. "A lot of people's lives are at stake. I have to figure this out."

"Steve, maybe you should tell us a little bit more about what is going on," said Bruce slowly. "Because of right now, it sounds a lot like the plot for Groundhog Day."

"That's a movie about—" Tony started to tell him.

"I know what it is," interrupted Steve impatiently. "Happy already told me about that movie, right before he was decapitated." The memory was still a very raw one in his head.

Tony stiffened. "Jarvis, get me Happy."

"Would that be happy the adjective or Happy the noun, sir?"

"Noun," said Tony tersely, holding Steve's gaze.

Steve couldn't help but wonder what was required of Jarvis for happy the adjective but he had bigger fish to fry right then. He was on borrowed time and couldn't spend precious seconds delving any further into the peculiarities of Tony Stark's world.

Happy's voice filled the room. "Yup, what's up?"

Tony gave an almost imperceptible breath of relief. "Happy, how's your head?" asked Tony laconically. "Still attached to your body?"

There was a pause. "Is this like a riddle or something?" Happy made an annoyed cluck. "You're not going to make me crawl into the air conditioning vent, are you? I told you, I'm too big for that space, even without my head."

"No, I'm not," said Tony easily, glaring at Steve. "Cap was just making an unfunny joke."

"I wasn't joking," said Steve tightly. "In one of my go rounds in this night, Happy was killed by decapitation."

"I was what now?" asked a concerned sounding Happy. "What's going on up there?"

"Nothing, Hap," said Tony calmly. "Steve is just having a moment."

"Really, cause it sounds like a conversation I should be part of," fretted Happy.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Happy," vowed Steve determinedly. "Not again. I'll make sure of it." He shook his head impatiently. "You have to listen to me. This is my fourth attempt at this evening. All other times I've died in an explosion, along with a lot of other people. You need to tell me how to stop it."

"Um, okay, but if there is any potential for me being killed, I'd like to be kept in the loop. Oh, and you've got to get a move on, Cap. I've got this Jan woman calling me every five minutes. We can't be late for this date."

Steve's jaw hardened at the mention of the date as Happy signed off. This nightmare had to come to an end. "We're wasting time. Tell me how to stop this time loop."

Bruce and Tony exchanged looks.

Bruce grimaced. "I don't know what you want us to say, Steve. Time travel isn't a thing. It's not a science, it's not even close to being one."

Steve made an agitated noise, not having expected this. "But you're both geniuses. You can figure this out," he insisted obstinately.

Olivia joined in on the conversation. "I went to college with this guy, Harry Dicks and he was doing this thesis on the possibility of time travel," she offered up tentatively. "He used to get me to edit his papers. I've read a lot of his work. I did a lot of science strands before deciding on pursuing teaching."

"Harry Dicks?" repeated Tony skeptically. "How did the guy even make it through elementary school with a name like that? I thought he'd still be stuff in a toilet somewhere."

Olivia wrinkled her nose prettily. "He was very shy but kind of brilliant, I think. I thought he was sweet."

Steve turned to face Olivia, grabbing her arms. "Can you remember if he had any theories about this kind of thing?"

Olivia scrunched up her face a little, thinking hard. "I remember he had this theory about time working in the same way as light."

Tony gave a loud snort at the notion.

"Let her talk, Tony," Bruce admonished him.

"What does that mean?" asked Steve intently. He wasn't stupid but the study of light wasn't something he'd ever really had to add to his skill set until now.

"Light particles can move in a straight line but they can also move in waves," explained Olivia. "Harry thought time was the same. Most of us experience time in a straight line, you know, in a linear fashion."

Steve nodded. "Go on."

"But Harry also theorized that there could be these events that would drop into that time line and cause a ripple effect, like a stone being dropped into a flowing river. Normally the water all flows one way but when the stone is dropped in, the water moves in waves around the stone, disrupting the normal flow of the water."

Steve looked away, thinking about that. "You think what is happening is some kind of ripple effect from something being dropped into the time line?"

Olivia lifted one shoulder. "I think that's what Harry would say if he was here."

"Jarvis, call up all papers written by Harry Dicks," Bruce ordered the AI unit.

"Very good, Doctor Banner," said Jarvis evenly.

Tony arched an eyebrow at him. "So, we're doing this then? We're buying into the crazy?"

"I can't believe you're the hold out here," said Bruce in vague annoyance. "You've made your fortune around making the impossible, possible."

"But my stuff is possible impossible stuff, not impossible, impossible stuff." Tony gave a grunt of annoyance. "Time travel doesn't exist."

"Then humor me," said Steve tersely, still facing Olivia. "You can do that, can't you?"

Tony's eyes narrowed. "You know, if you had a sense of humor, I'd think this was a joke."

"He doesn't," said Bruce swiftly as Jarvis brought up the requested papers on a holographic screen and started to read them. "So, I think we should take him seriously. Come and read this."

"I have a sense of humor," protested a slightly miffed Steve.

"Of course you do," said Olivia firmly. "Don't listen to them. You're really funny."

Bruce was engrossed in reading and he waved a distracted hand in Steve's direction. "Yeah, yeah, you're a laugh riot. I was just making a point."

"Am I the only one who thinks he's making this all up to get out of that date?" grumbled Tony as he joined Bruce to read the papers.

"You don't think I'm that creative," said Steve flatly.

Tony pursed his lips, conceding the point. "True." He started reading from the holographic screen and gave another grunt. "This guy's grip of basic science is tenuous to say the least."

"He's making conceptual points," mumbled Bruce, completely engrossed in reading.

"He's making my eyes bleed, that's what he's doing," said Tony but he kept on reading.

Steve felt Olivia slip her hand into his and squeeze it. He looked down at her to see her looking up at him anxiously.

"What's happened to you tonight, Steve?" she asked with quiet anxiety. "You said you died."

"But I come back again," said Steve quickly.

"But you die," said Olivia unhappily, "and you remember every time, don't you?"

Steve hesitated but couldn't lie. "Yes."

Olivia's face clouded over. "Steve," she whispered in distress.

He cupped her face. "It's okay, it doesn't matter."

"If I was the one dying over and over again, would you still say the same thing?" she asked unevenly.

Steve's hand cupping her face tightened a little. "No," he said hoarsely. The thought of Olivia going through the experience of being blown up again and again made a lump form in his stomach.

"Then please don't tell me it's okay," she said painfully. "Steve, what is happening to you is horrible."

"Other people are dying too," he said, trying to distract her.

"Other people aren't remembering what is happening to them," she pointed out. "Are they?"

"No," Steve was forced to admit, "not even Sandy."

"Who is Sandy?" asked Bruce behind him.

Steve turned around to face the other man. "She's the person I go on the date with – Sandy Knight." His face scrunched up. "And I think she's some kind of psychic or clairvoyant or something, because she's dreamt about this night over and over."

"She has?" asked Olivia in surprise. "Then does she know what is happening to you?"

Steve shook his head in frustration. "No. In the last do over I talked to her about it and she only ever dreamed about this night and the explosion. To her, it was the first time that night was happening but for me, it was my third."

"That's so weird that Sandy should have dreamt about tonight," said Olivia. "That has to mean something."

"Okay, I've read all I need to from this work of science fiction," announced Tony. He looked at Olivia. "Livvy, your synopsis of Dick's work is spot on. You're one clever lady." Tony winked at her. "Those first graders you teach are lucky to have you."

"Enough with the flirting," said Steve tersely. "Get with the theorizing."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Okay, so, say I'm buying into yours and Mr. Dick's premise that time does indeed move in two different ways and that you're currently caught up in a ripple of time."

Bruce joined in on the conversation. "Then extrapolating Dick's theory, the reason you're experiencing this night over and over again is because each do over is another ring of the ripple. Time is traveling in a straight line and then it's hit by a ripple. Each hit propels you to the next ripple." He took off his glasses to look at Steve intently. "Is each do over exactly the same?"

"Where I drop into it is but then because I know what is going to happen, I alter it," answered Steve. "Like with Happy. I told him to go a different way to the restaurant but the explosion happened anyways but in a different point and he was killed. Happy didn't die the first couple of times."

Bruce's head bobbed up and down. "Interesting."

"Not from where I'm standing," said Steve darkly. "All I really need to know is how to stop this ripple effect."

"You have to track down the stone," said Tony. He shrugged. "In theory. The stone causes the ripple, remove the stone from the scenario and there is no ripple."

"But what would the stone be?" asked Steve in frustration.

"Something constant," observed Olivia. "What always happens in your repeats, Steve?"

"The explosion," he said unhappily. Steve glanced down at his watch. "And we've got less than twelve minutes until that happens."

Bruce folded his arms in front of himself. "What else?"

"The scenarios always the same. I'm always on my way to the date and there is always Olivia, you two, Happy, Sandy, Jan annoying Happy." Steve racked his brain. "There's always the city workers fixing a water leak and a tanker truck of fuel."

Tony tilted his head and regarded Steve steadily. "If I had to lay bets in all of this, I'd say you were it."

"Me?" repeated Steve in surprise.

"Yes, Captain Stoney, you."

"Why?" asked Steve in irritation. "Because according to you I have the charisma of a rock?" He really didn't like the idea that he was responsible for the deaths of all of those people.

"You do," said Tony blithely, "but that's not why. You're a man out of step with time. You're not in your natural place when it comes to time lines."

Bruce nodded his head slowly. "Tony might be onto something here. You're a blip in time's radar, thanks to that ice nap you took for seventy years. It's not a ridiculous assumption to make that your very presence has caused an impact in time's flow."

What they were saying made sense to Steve, unfortunately. "I'm the stone," said Steve tightly. He closed his eyes. All those people dead because of him.

Olivia's arm was around his waist. "This is not your fault, Steve," she said fiercely. "Even if you are the stone, it's not your fault."

Steve opened his eyes and almost glared down at her. "People die because of me."

"No," argued Olivia, "that's the point. People aren't going to die because of you. You're getting do overs and you're going to figure this out." She gave him a pointed look. "_We're_ going to figure this out."

Steve relaxed a little at Olivia's unwavering faith in him. Sometimes that felt like a burden, having people believe in him so much but with her, it always made Steve feel like he could do anything. "Yeah, we are," he said determinedly. Steve turned to the others. "How do we stop my rock from dropping into the stream?"

Bruce scratched his cheek and looked to be thinking hard. "Just that, stay out of it."

Steve scowled. "Meaning?"

"He means stay here and don't go on that date," said Tony. "You can't seem to stop the explosion and there is a good chance that you're the cause of it, if you're the rock."

"How do I cause it?" asked Steve in disbelief.

Olivia was chewing on the inside of her bottom lip. A habit of hers when she was really worried. "It could be a million little things. Everything has a cause and effect. It could be because you had eggs from breakfast or didn't read the newspaper or did. Every little decision we make has a knock on effect, causing events around us."

Tony was looking at her admiringly. "Very nice theorizing from the material at hand, Miss O'Brien. I've never wanted to give an apple to a teacher more than right now." He winked at her. "If there wasn't a Pepper making up my entire would, I think you and I could have made beautiful science together."

Olivia blushed at Tony's praise which really annoyed Steve. "Keep your apples to yourself, Stark," snapped Steve. "And stay on point."

"I already told you the solution to your problem," said Tony easily. "Stay out of it. If you're the rock, it's your presence which causes the explosion."

Steve's hands opened and closed in agitation. "I did nothing last time and the explosion still happened."

"Where were you?" quizzed Bruce.

"At the restaurant."

"That might have been too far along the time line. Have you tried to do nothing at a point before that?"

"No."

"Then it could well be you travelling to the restaurant that sets up the event."

"I did come across the workmen and the tanker when Happy and I took an alternative route," said Steve slowly.

"B is right," said Tony. "It's a reasonable assumption that the point which sets up the certainty of the outcome is somewhere before that." He made a bit of a face. "Taking into consideration the shallowness of the information pool to start with, of course."

"Shallowness?"

Olivia looked up at him. "You said this night has only happened to you three times before, not counting this one, which we don't know the outcome of yet. Three times isn't much of a statistical basis to be making any kind of reliable extrapolation of outcome on. Usually you need at least forty-seven repeats of something to even begin to have any kind of statistical leg to stand on."

Tony clutched at his heart with a feigned stricken look on his face. "You're killing me here, Livvy. There's something about a woman who can talk statistical analysis that gets me every time."

Steve glared at him. "I'm not telling you again. Stop with the idiotic flirting."

"I'm not flirting," protested Tony innocently. "Is it my fault that my every encounter with a woman oozes with sexual tension?"

"Nobody is interested in your ooze, Stark," bit out Steve. He looked down at Olivia a little uncertainly. "Right?"

She poked him in the chest. "I'm ignoring that question and putting it down to the stress of time travel. There will never be a day when I'm interested in Tony over you, Steve."

"That's good, Livvy," said Tony in a loud whisper, "throw him off the scent of your obvious attraction to me."

"Tony," snapped Bruce, "stop being you for the next ten minutes, okay?"

"I don't know why anyone would want that, but okay," grumbled Tony.

"Steve, when does the explosion happen?"

"8:08." Steve looked down at his watch. "Three minutes from now."

"Okay, we'll know soon enough if our theory is correct then. You stay here and if there is no explosion, theoretically you won't be pushed onto the next ripple and everything is going to be fine."

"And if the explosion happens?" asked Steve tensely.

"Then we're back to the drawing board," said Bruce.

"But with more information to analyze," offered up Olivia quickly.

"Assuming I end up back here and not already at the restaurant after the next jump," said Steve grimly.

"But your next jump after that might get you back here," said Olivia, trying to stay optimistic.

"And how many of these do overs do I get exactly?"

"How long is a piece of string?" asked Tony unhelpfully. "It's impossible to say. Depends on how big of a stone you are. The bigger the stone, the more energy which is displaced and the greater the number of ripples."

"You could have another five or five hundred," agreed Bruce. "There is no way of knowing."

Steve didn't know if he could go through this five hundred times but he pushed that thought aside. "Okay, but I can't waste time convincing you all of my story again," he said urgently. "I need something to convince you that I'm telling the truth without going through all this again."

There was a brief pause as people considered how to do that.

Bruce gave a grunt. "Come here." He took Steve aside, ignoring the curious looks of Tony and Olivia. "I'm going to tell you something," said Bruce in a low voice, so that only Steve could hear him. "Something I know I'd never willingly tell anyone else and if you tell me this in the next jump, I'm going to believe everything you say after that."

"Great," said Steve eagerly, aware of the seconds ticking by, "what is it?"

"I had an erotic dream about you the other night," deadpanned Bruce.

"What?" squawked Steve. He hadn't expected this.

"I'd just transformed back from the other guy and I was starving and I ended up eating a lot of ham, chicken and beef all at once." Bruce pulled a face. "I can't mix meats like that. Gives me weird dreams."

"You had a sex dream about me?" asked Steve in distress. _Could this night get any worse? _

"Hey, I'm not happy about it either," threw back Bruce. "There was the three of us in a hot tub, you, me and Estelle Getty."

Steve blinked. "Who's Estelle Getty?"

"The grandmother in the Golden Girls," said Bruce calmly.

"Grandmother?" rasped Steve. "Are you kidding me?"

"I told you, I can't mix meats before bed time." Bruce pursed his lips. "I'm not going to lie, it was weird but you were surprisingly gentle, unlike Estelle… rough hands that one."

Steve blanched. "I can't believe you're telling me this."

"That's why it's perfect. You tell me this story and I know I'm the only one who could have told you and it would have been under duress."

"Couldn't you have just said Estelle Getty and left out the rest?" ground out Steve.

"Oh," said Bruce, eyes widening a little, "I didn't think of that." He shrugged. "I guess I just needed to talk to someone about the dream. It was kind of bugging me."

"Why did it have to be me?" bit out Steve.

"You're rather I talk to Tony about it?"

"Oh my God, no!"

"Exactly." Bruce's lips quirked. "Bet you're rooting for time to reset now, huh?"

"I remember everything that happens to me," Steve ground out.

"Oh yeah, guess you're stuck with that memory then," said Bruce blithely. "My bad."

Steve glared at him. "You really need to call Betty."

"I am not unaware of that fact."

Tony had enough of the whispering. "What are you two talking about? What's the big secret?"

Steve strode across the room, refusing to make eye contact with Bruce. "We've got less than a minute."

"What did Bruce tell you?"

"Nothing," said Steve and Bruce together. Steve hurried over to the glass wall and looked out over the dark city.

"It sounded like something."

"It doesn't matter what it was," said Olivia, joining Steve at the wall. She took his hand. "It's going to be okay, Steve. No matter what happens, we'll fix this."

Steve looked down at her, grateful for the support. "You're amazing," he breathed, knowing he would have a lot less hope of figuring this out if it hadn't been for her this time round.

"So are you," she countered, holding onto his hand tightly. "Don't give up," Olivia encouraged him. "Never give up. I'm waiting for you to come home to me."

Steve dropped his head and pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes tightly and praying that this whole nightmare was already over. The sound of an enormous explosion made the building shudder beneath their feet and told him that wasn't to be the case. Everyone quickly turned to look at the huge fire ball swallowing up multiple blocks in the middle of town. Olivia gave a gasp of dismay at the destruction but then Steve was kissing her hard, knowing he didn't have long before time reset. Olivia kissed him back just as passionately. "I love you," he told her fiercely, not able to hold the words back any longer.

#

"I think you're swell too, Cap," said Happy wryly. "But can we take it slow? I've been hurt too many times before."

Steve's eyes flew open to find himself in the back of the limousine, a vaguely amused looking Happy checking him out in the rear vision mirror.

"You okay, Steve?"

Steve put an unsteady hand to his lips, still able to taste Olivia there. "Not even a little bit," he said shakily.

"We're running late," observed Happy. "I'm going to take a shortcut."

"No!" shouted Steve. "Don't ever take a shortcut, Happy. Not ever!"

"Wow, didn't know you were so anti-shortcut there, Cap. Duly noted."

"I'm sorry," said Steve, forcing himself to lower his voice. "I'm not having a great night."

"Hey, it's a free meal," said Happy philosophically as he weaved through the traffic.

"There is no such thing," said Steve hollowly as he tried to work out his next move.

**A/N****: More action in the next one, guys, promise. :D Hope I haven't lost anyone with all the pseudo-science talk. If I have, let me know and I'll have another crack at explaining it in other chapters otherwise just hold on for the ride if you're not worried about the 'science' behind this story. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N****: Hi guys and a big apology from me as to how long it's taken me to update this story. I'm just trying to finish off my Sleepy Hollow fic before I go away next week and there will be no writing for me. I really wanted to get at least one more chapter up of this story before I did go away, so I'm glad I've managed to get this one done. **

**Thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not amazing but it's a necessary bridge to what I'm building to. Hopefully the next update won't be far away. :D **

**CHAPTER SIX**

Steve lurched forward and was forced to put out a hand to steady himself, almost slipping over because he was in the shower. He blinked, regaining his senses. This was the furthest back reset yet. Adrenalin surged through him as he jumped out of the shower and quickly dried off. Hanging on the back of the bathroom door was the suit he'd been planning to wear tonight. Considering how this evening had turned out, Steve figured he may need a different suit. A few minutes later a fully clothed Steve was determinedly striding from the bathroom, just as Olivia strolled into his bedroom, her attention fixed on the tie in her hand.

"I think you should wear the blue one," she said absently, not immediately looking up. "You always look good in blue." Olivia turned her head and looked at him, eyes widening a little at seeing him in his Captain America garb. "Although, I'm not sure it goes with your outfit now," she said a little unevenly. Olivia's delicate features became marred with a slight frown. "Did something just happen? Did the Avengers get a call?"

Steve didn't break his stride, just grabbed her hand and headed determinedly towards the elevator. "Not the Avengers, just me," he said grimly. "And I think that is where I've been making my mistake."

Olivia was forced to trot on much shorter legs to keep up with him. "Steve, I don't know what you're talking about. What's going on?"

They were in the elevator and Steve tried to give her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, I'll explain everything in a minute." He pulled a little bit of a face, knowing from previous experience that telling Olivia what was going on was unlikely to make her feel better but there was nothing he could do about that now. "Jarvis, I need you to pull up every bit of information you have on Sandy Knight, the woman who won the competition for the date with me."

"Very good, Captain," said Jarvis calmly.

Steve could feel Olivia's curious looks but he just held on tightly to her hand and gave her an encouraging look. The elevator doors slid open at the common room and Steve launched himself from the elevator, almost dragging the confused Olivia behind him.

Tony immediately arched an eyebrow at what Steve was wearing. He pointed a finger at Steve's Captain America suit. "Don't you think that's a bit ostentatious for a date?"

Bruce flicked a quick look at Steve and then went back to his newspaper. "Says the guy who wore his Iron Man suit to get a haircut the other day."

"That wasn't planned," protested Tony. "I was out, fighting the good fight and then realized I needed a haircut." He grimaced. "FYI though, hairdresser's chairs aren't made for the weight of one of my suits. I crushed two of them." Tony scratched his beard absently. "I'm really going to have to design a suit which is lighter so I can get haircuts in them more conveniently."

Bruce gave a grunt behind his paper. "Or just not wear the suit to get a haircut. That seems the easiest solution to that problem."

Tony snorted dismissively. "A straight line is not always the shortest way between two points."

"It completely and utterly is," said Bruce flatly.

"Both of you shut up and listen to what I have to say," interrupted Steve urgently, knowing a discussion like this could literally go on for hours.

"Captain, I have the information you requested," said Jarvis cordially.

"Thanks, Jarvis, give me a minute," said Steve quickly. "Okay, I need everyone to focus and stay with me on this one, no going off on a tangent. I'm going to say something which sounds impossible but I don't have time to argue the point with anyone. You're all just to take it on face value and run with it, alright?"

"Oh my God," said Tony, feigning a stricken look, "are you about to come out?" He gave a teasing look of sympathy towards Olivia. "Don't worry, Livvy, I can set you up with a dozen guys I know that would make all your dreams come true. You're not even going to miss, Captain Vanilla, trust me on this." Tony looked at Steve. "That goes for you too, Steven." He held up a finger. "Just to be clear, those are two different sets of a dozen guys I'm talking about." Tony tilted his head. "Except for Carlos," he conceded. "He dips his toe into both pools, if you know what I mean."

"What did I just say about not going off on a tangent?" ground out Steve.

Tony pursed his lips. "You were for it?" he offered up hopefully.

"Steve, ignore him," began Olivia.

"Such good advice," sighed Bruce. "It was on the tip of my tongue to say the same."

"Just tell us what is wrong," she continued on.

"I'm caught in a time loop," said Steve quickly.

Tony made a loud clucking noise. "No such th—"

Steve was making determined eye contact with Bruce. "Estelle Getty," he ground out.

Bruce stiffened in his chair, going a little pale and sitting more upright. "Shut up and let the man talk," he ordered Tony sharply.

Tony looked between the two of them in consternation. "What just happened?"

"Listen to what I'm about to tell you," said Steve. He held up an imperious finger to Tony. "No interruptions."

"Is this some kind of prank?" asked Tony suspiciously.

"What did I just say about interruptions?" bit out Steve in annoyance.

"Is it just me or does tonight have a big pop quiz element to it?" asked Tony in exasperation.

Steve ignored Tony's distractions and launched into recounting all that had happened to him that night and the theory they'd put together when they'd last spoken, which of course, was all news to the three other people in the room looking at him in varying degrees of concern. When he was done, there was an audible silence in the room as everyone absorbed what he'd just told them. "I'm telling the truth," he said earnestly. "Everything happened just as I said, I'm not crazy and I'm not lying."

"Okay," said Tony, "I believe you."

Steve's eyes widened, not having expected Tony to be the first to say such a thing. "You do?"

"You never lie," said Tony calmly. "It's the second most annoying thing about you. The first is your haircut, obviously, but the earnest truthfulness thing is a close second."

"How can you manage to be supportive and a jerk at the same time?" bit out Steve.

Tony half-shrugged. "Talent… talent and practice." He looked Steve over. "And a lot of material to work with." Before Steve could retaliate, Tony was talking again. "Okay, so what are we dealing with here? Do you have a plan?"

"Each do over gives me more information but nothing I've come up with has worked so far," admitted Steve in frustration.

"How many times have you done this night?" asked Olivia in concern.

Steve's jaw hardened. "This is number fifteen."

Olivia gave a little gasp of distress. "Oh, Steve, that's awful."

He'd jumped back into this time line multiple times since he'd last spoken with them. Sometime it was mere seconds before the explosion, sometimes it was at the restaurant, the car, all the different jumps always resulted in the same outcome though. Steve had tried getting out of the car and running to the explosion. He'd also tried evacuating the restaurant and surrounding areas but each time the result was the same. This was the first time he'd reset back far enough since they'd first worked out the rock theory that he could actually ask for real help. He squeezed Olivia's arm. "It's okay, this time is going to be different." Steve looked back at Tony and Bruce. "This time it's not just going to be me."

"The Hulk doesn't have a long and glorious history of not blowing things up," fretted Bruce. "In fact, it's kind of the opposite with that guy."

"Pull on the big boy purple panties," said Tony dismissively. "You don't give the big green enough credit."

"I need the Hulk," said Steve seriously. "We need to be able to divide and conquer this thing."

"What's the game plan?" asked Tony, walking towards the middle of the room. "Jarvis, my suit, rack it up!"

"Bruce keeps the tanker away from the gas line," said Steve swiftly. "Tony, you seal up the gas line so it won't crack and I'll stop the work men from getting anywhere near that street." He glanced up at the ceiling. "Jarvis, that information on Sandy Knight, give it to me."

"Cassandra Knight, twenty-three year old Boston native, moved to New York exactly one year ago today. She has worked many jobs, mainly data entry or secretarial but seems unable to hold them for more than a couple of months. Miss Knight was originally studying art at Boston University but dropped out after the first semester."

Olivia was looking at Steve. "You think Cassandra has something to do with all of this?"

"I don't know," said Steve in frustration, "but if she does, I know it's unintentional. Jarvis, is that all you have on her?"

"Miss Knight has sealed juvenile records," said Jarvis evenly. "She was placed in the Wendford Psychiatric facility at the age of eight for seven months."

"See, now I would have opened with that," said Tony dryly. "You've got no showmanship, Jarvis."

"I am what you have created me to be, sir," said Jarvis coolly.

Steve frowned. "Why was she institutionalized?"

"Her younger sister, Lily, drowned and there were concerns that Miss Knight may have been involved."

Bruce grimaced. "What kind of screening system does this magazine have when they set Captain America up on a date with a sociopathic child killer?"

Steve gave an emphatic shake of his head. "I didn't get that feeling from Sandy. She was just a really sad young woman."

"I'd be a bit down in the mouth if I was given to drowning siblings," said Tony wryly. He clicked his fingers and seconds later pieces of his suit flew out from a side panel on the wall, expertly attaching themselves to him so that within seconds he was completely kitted out in his Iron Man suit. His face visor remained open. "Go on say it, that was cool."

Steve was finding it hard to accept that the woman he'd met multiple times that night was any kind of killer. "I don't believe Sandy would do something like that."

Olivia laid a hand on Steve's back to calm his agitation. "Jarvis, what exactly do you mean by they thought Sandy had something to do with the drowning?"

"Before it happened she was telling her parents that her sister was going to drown. They dismissed her concerns but after the child's death, questions started to be asked. Miss Knight was in a fragile state of mind after the death of her sister, so she was institutionalized as her parents were unable to handle her and their own grief. Nothing was ever proven that Cassandra had anything to do with Lily's death."

"That's so sad," said Olivia softly. "The poor girl." She wrinkled her nose. "She suits her name well."

Steve glanced at her. "Sorry?"

"Cassandra, the tragic figure in Greek mythology," explained Olivia. "She was gifted with knowing the future but cursed with no one ever taking her seriously."

"I'm beginning to know how that feels," said Steve darkly.

"But we believe you, Steve," said Olivia swiftly, "and like you said, this time is going to be different."

Steve appreciated Olivia's optimism, he could do with some right around now. He looked at the one person who hadn't said much during this exchange. "Bruce, are you in?"

Bruce made a face. "I'm in, I guess. I'm just worried that the Hulk is going to make matters worse."

"This night always ends in a huge explosion which kills hundreds of people," said Steve grimly. "As one of those people who regularly dies, trust me, there is no getting worse."

Tony pointed both of his index fingers at Steve. "Great pep talk there, Captain Cheerleader. Don't give up your day job." His voice became more determined. "Now, let's quit with the standing around and shooting the breeze and go and kick some time looping ass." His visor snapped down into place. "And that's how you rally the troops!" With that Tony launched himself into the air and made a beeline for the windowed wall. One of the glass panels promptly slid away and allowed Tony access to the outside.

"I did not know those windows did that," mused Bruce. He looked back at Steve. "It's going to be okay, Cap. We've got this. There is going to be no explosion tonight."

"I know," said Steve but couldn't help a lingering niggle of doubt.

"Jarvis, do you know the location of the tanker right now?"

"It's a Bell Oil tanker, license plate TRB-8495," offered up Steve.

"Tracking now," said Jarvis.

"Let me know as soon as you have it." Bruce looked back at the still open wall panel and shrugged. "When in Rome, I guess." With a last encouraging look at Steve, Bruce headed towards the opening in the wall and stood on the edge. "I hate this part," he muttered and then launched himself from the twenty-fifth floor of Stark Tower.

Both Steve and Olivia hurried over to the window in time to see Bruce transform into the huge, green behemoth which was the Hulk. The Hulk landed on the pavement below, cracking concrete and then started to jump off down the street, startling even the more hardened New Yorkers. Thanks to the comms implants Tony had designed and embedded in all of the Avengers, Steve knew he'd be able to keep in contact with the other two men to try and co-ordinate a better outcome for this night then he'd managed so far on his own.

"Be careful," said Olivia softly.

Steve turned and looked down at her. "I will." He bent down and gave her a hard kiss. It felt like days since he'd last been able to do that and he didn't want it to end but time was ticking away. Steve reluctantly broke the kiss. "I'm going to be back soon and then it's just going to be the two of us. No time loops, no explosions, just us."

Olivia's beautiful face lit up. "I'd like that." She went up on the tips of her toes and kissed him this time. Olivia's kiss was softer than his but lingered more. On ending the kiss, Olivia made a husky declaration. "I love you."

Steve's heart leapt in his chest and the words were on the tip of his tongue to return but then Jarvis was interrupting them.

"Captain Rogers, I have informed Doctor Banner of the location of the tanker and he is on the way to intercepting it right now."

Steve bit back his frustration at Jarvis' timing but knew it wasn't the AI's fault.

"If you have information on the city workmen's vehicle, I can also track them."

"I know where they'll be," said Steve hastily, eyes still on Olivia who was now biting her bottom lip. "I've done this a few times now."

"As you wish, sir."

"You need to go," said Olivia unevenly. "Every minute is precious. Go."

Steve cupped her face and nodded. "I'm going to be back very soon," he vowed, "and we'll finish this conversation, I promise."

Olivia smiled. "I know," she said softly.

Steve stole one last kiss and then he was looking out the window. He shrugged. "Like Bruce said, a straight line is the shortest distance between two points." With a last smile at Olivia, Steve jumped out of the window, using his shield to slow his descent and then to land on to break his fall before starting to run down the street, intent on intercepting the city workers in their truck before all hell broke loose.

Olivia watched Steve run out of view with lightning speed and then stepped back from the opening as Jarvis sealed it up again, making the wall of windows intact again. "Jarvis," said Olivia, "could you do something for me, please?"

"Of course, Miss O'Brien. How may I be of assistance?"

#

Sandy pushed her heavy glasses back up her nose and then wiped her sweaty palms on her new dress. She looked down at the bright and confident peacock swirling its way around her body and wrinkled her nose. This really wasn't her usual type of dress. Sandy had learnt to not stand out over the years but in all of her dreams she'd been wearing this dress. So, when she'd seen it in the shop window last week, she'd known that she had to buy it. It was a tribute to the strangeness of her entire life that she'd somehow managed to choose something without ever choosing it. The publicity woman was suddenly shoving her face into hers.

"You alright, honey?" asked Jan but then didn't give her a chance to answer. "Now, don't be nervous. Captain Rogers isn't going to bite." The older woman winked at her. "Unless you get lucky that is, of course."

She laughed at her own joke while Sandy forced a feeble smile to her lips. This woman was half an hour away from her own death and didn't know it. Sandy glanced at all the people around her. They all were. She knew from bitter experience that there was no point in trying to warn them. They wouldn't believe her. They never believed her.

Jan patted her arm distractedly as she pulled out her phone. "You just remember to smile nice and big for the camera and everything is going to be fine." She dragged her attention from her phone and gave Jan a broad smile. "After all, this is your lucky night. You're a winner."

Did it make you a winner to know you were going to survive a catastrophe which was going to take the lives of so many others? Sandy certainly didn't feel like one.

Jan waved a finger at Sandy's face. "Do you really need the glasses, honey? They hide such a pretty face."

They hid a lot more than that. Sandy didn't want to see the smoking, dismembered corpses of all the people walking all around her and the distortion of the thick glasses allowed her that small reprieve. She squared her shoulders and gave an emphatic shake of her head. "I need them," said Sandy tightly and she really did.

Jan looked disappointed but tried to hide it. "Oh well, not everything can be picture perfect all the time, hmm?" With that Jan was off and already talking on her phone. "Hello, Mr Hogan? Yes, I realize this is the third time I've called you but you were meant to have Captain Rogers here already. I've got a schedule to—"

Sandy turned away from Jan's badgering of the poor person on the other end of the phone as her own phone rang in her purse. She frowned, not knowing who that could be as she wasn't in the habit of handing her cell number out to many people. Looking at her cell phone display, she didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" she asked hesitantly.

"Hello, Sandy?"

Sandy frowned, not recognizing the woman's voice. "Yes."

"You don't know me. My name is Olivia O'Brien and I'm a friend of Steve Rogers."

Sandy blinked. "This isn't supposed to happen," she blurted out, surprise bypassing the normal censuring she always made when talking to people.

"I know you've dreamt about this night for a long time," said Olivia sincerely. "And I know it's always ended badly, with people dying."

"How-how can you know that?" asked Sandy unevenly.

"Steve told me."

"Steve Rogers?" _This didn't make any kind of sense. _

"It's complicated but I wanted to talk to you and tell you that everything is going to be okay."

"But it isn't," said Sandy urgently. "Everyone dies."

"I know that's how your dreams always turn out but Steve isn't going to let that happen," said Olivia swiftly.

"He can't stop it," said Sandy despairingly. "No one can. My visions always come true."

"You don't know Steve. When he puts his mind to something, he'll stop at nothing to make it happen." There was a slight pause. "Or, in this case, not happen."

"I don't understand," said Sandy hopelessly.

Olivia's voice was warm and reassuring. "You don't have to understand, you just have to have faith."

Sandy bit her bottom lip. "Why are you calling me? Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because everyone needs to know that people believe in them," said Olivia simply. "And that they're not alone." Olivia's tone became very sincere. "You're not alone and you have people who believe you, Sandy. This night isn't going to end like you've feared."

Sandy still wasn't sure why this complete stranger was saying all of those things to her but she felt tears sting her eyes because no one had ever said anything like that to her before. "Thank you," she said hoarsely, choked up by the other woman's sincerity and kindness.

"Steve's not going to give up so you shouldn't either," said Olivia firmly. "There is always hope, remember that if you remember nothing else about this phone call, remember that."

"I will," said Sandy, not sure what all this meant but feeling like a weight she'd been carrying for so long had suddenly been lifted.

My dreams didn't have to come true after all…


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N****: A million apologies for the tardiness of this update but I've been out of town for the last couple of weeks, so writing hasn't been happening. **

**I had to drag this chapter out of the muse for some reason. It really felt like hard work. Hopefully reading it won't be so bad… although no promises. . Enough chatter from me, let's get this chapter posted so I don't have to dwell on it anymore, eh?! **

**Toodles…**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"I'm just sayin' that I don't think this season is as good as last season," said Carl, sipping on his coffee.

"You're crazy," said Mike as he pulled up the tanker he was driving at the red light. "You seen the dancers they got this season for 'You Think You Can Dance'? They're amazing."

Carl gave a snort of disinterest. "I've seen better."

Mike rolled his eyes. "What would you know? When was the last time you lifted a hoof to dance?"

"Hey, just because I don't regularly partake in the art of dance, don't mean I don't know good dancin' when I see it and I'm tellin' you – the dancers this season ain't impressin' me."

"They don't got to impress you."

"Sure they do, I phone in with my votes." Carl glanced at the now green traffic lights. "They don't get any greener than that. You might want to think about shakin' a tail feather." Behind them cars were beginning to honk.

Mike looked at him a little wide eyed. "I'm in gear and I'm pressin' the gas but nothin' is happenin'."

Carl twisted back in his seat to look out his window and back at the rear end of the tanker. "You got a flat or somethin'?"

"I ain't got a flat," said Mike unevenly.

Carl turned back around to look at his friend with the strange way he'd said that. "What's the prob…" he followed Mike's gaze out the front of the windscreen and down, his eyes going wide. "Oh," he squeaked.

The giant green-skinned monster lifted his head and met their frightened gaze, his broad nostrils flaring as he kept the truck in place with two hands planted on either side of the nose of the truck.

Mike blinked a rapidly a couple of times. "What should we do?" he whispered loudly to the other man.

"Don't make it angry," whispered back Carl, just as loudly, both of them unable to take their eyes off of the large, green giant currently pinning them down.

"Everything looks like it'd make that thing angry," fretted Mike.

An impatient driver behind them had exited his car and stalked up beside of them. "Hey, idiots! You want to think about movin' sometime this week?"

Mike wordlessly held up a finger and pointed towards the front of truck. The Hulk gave a loud bark of anger at him. The irate man immediately deflated and took a couple of hasty steps back and held up his hands. "O-okay, my bad. I'll go round, no problem, no problem, okay, guy?"

The Hulk just scowled at him as the other man made a hasty retreat back to his car.

Mike slowly reached out and grabbed Carl's arm. "I think we should get out and make a run for it."

"But what about the truck? The boss ain't gonna be happy that we abandoned it."

"Yeah, well, my Colleen ain't gonna be happy if I get dismembered by a gargoyle and I know which one I'm more frightened of."

The Hulk gave a loud roar and both men started.

"Don't call him a gargoyle," hissed Carl. "He don't like it." He forced a smile to his lips. "Hey there, fella, we don't mean no harm. We're the good guys, okay?"

"Yeah, I saw you on the news," agreed Mike eagerly. "You saved the city when those aliens attacked, we know you're a good guy too." In a quiet aside to Carl. "He seemed smaller then. So much for TV addin' ten pounds. Looks like it took off a hundred to me."

"Stay!" bellowed the Hulk. "Truck stay!"

The two men looked at each other. "Well, I ain't arguin' with him," said Carl. "You?"

"I'm on twelve dollars an hour, no medical, so that would be a hell no," said Mike quickly. He grimaced. "Should we call it in?"

"I guess," said Carl hesitantly. "As long as it's okay with the big guy here." He held up his CB receiver and waved it at the Hulk. "Is it okay if I tell my boss?"

The Hulk gave a noisy grunt but didn't look like he cared.

"I think it's okay," said Mike, still not taking his eyes off the enormous creature in front of them. "What are you gonna tell the boss?"

"What do you think I'm gonna tell him, the truth. We got stopped by a giant, green monster in the middle of the street."

"Good luck with that."

"Hey, you're seein' what I'm seein'," snapped Carl.

"Don't mean I'm believin' it." Mike wrinkled his nose. "What do you think the guy wants with a tanker truck of petrol?"

"I don't know," said Carl in exasperation. "Maybe he drinks the stuff?" The Hulk narrowed his eyes and made a low guttural noise at the driver. Carl quickly backtracked, holding up a hand. "Hey, no judgment here, guy. Whatever floats your boat is fine by me."

"Make the call and then let's get out of here," said Mike quickly. "Our guy don't seem like the patient type."

Carl picked up the receiver from the dash and cleared his throat, trying to think how he was going to explain this to a boss who was less then understanding at the best of times. As he went to make the call he caught a flash of orange out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head in time to see a speeding orange corvette come up too close alongside him in a rush to make the traffic light and as a result, clipped the thigh of the Hulk which just happened to be bulging past the line of the truck. The Hulk gave a roar of either pain or rage, maybe both but apart from that, he wasn't even knocked from his feet. The corvette on the other hand wasn't so lucky. It spun off into another car, did an almost three sixty turn and skidded across the intersection before wrapping itself around a fire hydrant. Water shot out of the demolished fire hydrant as Carl sucked in a shocked breath at how quickly that had all happened. He and Mike watched, wide-eyed, as the Hulk stalked over to the now U-shaped car. A white man with a shaved head and a questionable bright orange tracksuit tumbled out of the car, scrambling to escape the oncoming retribution from the monster. He stumbled to his feet and took off running down the street. The Hulk bellowed after him but made no effort to follow. Instead, he pulled the car away from the hydrant with one hand, making it look like it was no heavier than a cardboard box, tossing it to one side. Then the Hulk crushed the twisted metal remains of the fire hydrant down so that it no longer allowed water to escape. He shook his head, water droplets flying off his dark hair and then stomped his way back to the truck.

"Guess he doesn't like to waste water," said Mike faintly.

"Man, this night couldn't get any weirder," said Carl unevenly.

#

Steve raced along the sidewalk, knowing the city truck was going to pop out in front of him at the next intersection. He ducked and weaved expertly between the New York pedestrians who barely gave him a second glance. They were growing more familiar with seeing costumed people running around on their streets. Steve hadn't even broken a sweat by the time he raced out into the middle of the intersection and held up a hand to stop the oncoming city truck before it got to the lights. The truck slowed as Steve ran up to them. He jumped on the side of the truck so he could talk through the window to the four startled men sitting inside the cab. "You need to pull over," he said swiftly.

"We're on our way to a job," protested one of the men. "We got orders."

"You've got new ones," said Steve firmly. "Trust me, this is a matter of life and death, for a lot of people, yourselves included."

The men exchanged confused looks but then the driver shrugged. "Hey, it's Captain America, I ain't gonna say no to him. Where do you want us, Cap?"

Steve breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at them. "Just pull over to the curb. I'll let you know when it's safe to keep moving." He jumped off the side of the truck and watched with satisfaction as they found a park a little ways down the road. Okay, that was one explosive piece out of the equation, now he could only hope that the others were doing their jobs. Behind him there was the sound of a collision and Steve tensed, experience telling him to brace for an explosion but it didn't happen. He swung around to see a car had T-boned another at the intersection. Steve raced over to see what he could do. One cab driver staggered out of his car, looking dazed but basically unhurt. Steve grabbed his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," said the man shakily. "I swerved to avoid that idiot running in the middle of the road and didn't see the other car in time."

"Who did you swerve to miss?" asked Steve, looking around for any hurt pedestrians.

"Some ass wipe wearing a God awful orange tracksuit," grumbled the cab driver, putting an unsteady hand to his head. "I should have just hit the guy with that kind of dress sense."

Steve couldn't see anyone matching that description around so he figured the other man had avoided any injury. He guided the cab driver to the curb. "Take a seat, the paramedics will be here soon to check you out properly."

The man let Steve help him down onto the curb even as he twisted his head around to see the other car. "Did I hurt anyone?" he fretted. "I can't see anyone gettin' out of the other car."

"Don't worry, I'll check." Steve ran over to the car which was in a much worse state then the cab, as it was the one which had been T-boned. As he drew closer, Steve could hear the screams of a baby and his stomach tightened. He made it to the car and saw an unconscious young woman in the front seat and a baby in a capsule in the back. Grabbing the mangled driver's door, Steve tore it from its hinges just as a woman in her fifties ran up to his side. "Don't move her," she instructed Steve. "There could be spinal injuries."

Steve looked at her.

"I'm a doctor," she informed him.

"I need to get her out of this car. I can smell petrol." Steve looked back at the woman strapped into the driver's seat. "What if I take the whole seat out and leave her in it?"

The doctor surveyed the situation. "Yes, that would work, as long as you're gentle."

Steve nodded towards the backseat. "Can you check on the baby? It's crying a lot."

"Trust me, that's a good thing," said the doctor as she went to try and open the door but couldn't. "It's when they go quiet that you worry." She nodded at the door. "Do you mind?"

The baby's door was crumpled in as well and Steve was forced to use his shield to slice through the hinges before he could pull off that door to allow the other woman access. While the doctor checked on the baby, Steve turned his attention back to who he assumed was the child's mother. Crouching down, Steve gripped the bottom of the seat she was strapped into by her seat belt and pulled on it as hard but as gently as he could. The metal gave way to his superior strength and he was able to pull both the seat and the woman out at once, quickly moving them away from the wreckage site. The young woman started to come round as Steve placed her and the seat carefully on the ground.

"W-what happened?" she asked groggily.

"It's okay, you've been in an accident but you're safe now."

She blinked dazedly at him before suddenly drawing in a frightened breath. "Phoebe! My daughter, she's in the car. Oh God, is she alright?"

Before Steve could answer he could hear the cries of a baby drawing closer. The doctor had unhooked the baby capsule from the back seat of the car and removed the baby and the capsule as one, much like Steve had done with her mother.

"Phoebe!" said the young mother, straining to get to her child and not realizing she was still strapped into her seat.

"You just keep still now," the doctor informed her as she placed the baby capsule down so that the mother could see her baby. "Your daughter is fine and with quite the set of lungs on her."

"Oh thank God," said the woman, her eyes filling up with emotional tears as she reached out a hand to try and comfort her screaming child. "It's okay, honey, Mommy's here."

Steve could hear the wail of the ambulance rapidly closing in on them and let out a relieved breath. The car accident hadn't been his fault and wasn't what he'd been hoping for but in the grand scale of things, no one seemed to be seriously hurt and that was the important thing. He felt his hand being grabbed and he looked down to see the tear-stained face of the mother looking up at him. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "Thank you, you saved us all."

Steve glanced at his watch and then managed a grim smile. "I sure hope so, ma'am, I sure hope so." There was still ten minutes to go before he'd know for certain.

#

Tony landed neatly on the sidewalk by the manhole cover Steve had directed him to. "Hey, Hulk, how you travelling?"

"Truck no move!" came the bellowed reply.

Tony winced at the loud declaration in his ear. "Whoa, a little quieter there if you can, big green, use your inside voice. I know confusing, because we're outside, but do your best."

Steve's urgent voice filled his ear. "Tony, are you at the manhole?"

"Standing above it right now."

"You need to get down there quickly and fix that crack," said Steve sharply. "There is no time to waste."

"Keep your inappropriately tight britches on, el Capitano, we've have ten minutes. I can do it in three."

"Can you just do it rather than talk about it?" asked Steve in agitation.

"Stop micro-managing me." Tony reached down and easily pulled the manhole cover off with one hand. "Pepper's the only one who gets anywhere with that and that's got a lot to do with the fact I'm usually trying to make up for something I did… or about to do."

"Stark!"

"Geez, yes, doing it now. I can talk and do other things at the same time, you know." Tony jumped down into the open hole, softening his landing with a short blast of his jets.

"Just as well seeing as you never shut up."

Tony heard a grunt of laughter from the Hulk.

"Cute." Tony strode along the dark, dank corridor, relying on his visor to illuminate the surroundings for him. "Jarvis, scan these walls and find that leak."

"Very good, sir."

In less than two minutes Tony had a section of the rounded concrete wall targeted for him, an almost invisible crack in the concrete was starting to form. He peered at it closely. "Found the crack. Must have happened during the alien attack. This whole city got pretty banged up."

"I just need you to fix it, Stark," said an agitated Steve.

"Boy, you get blown up a few dozen times and you're all business, aren't you?"

"I'm heading towards you now."

"Your city workers aren't going anywhere?"

"No, there's been a bit of an accident and they're staying put."

"What kind of accident?"

"It doesn't matter." Steve sounded like he was running now. "No one was seriously hurt, that's the only important thing and I want to keep it that way. Please be careful fixing that crack."

"My middle name is careful," said Tony blithely as he lifted a hand and dialed his blasters right down.

"I find that highly unlikely."

"Oh ye of little faith," snorted Tony as he started on the crack. The displays on his visor began to blink. "Jarvis, what is going on? I feel like I'm in a 1980's disco here."

"What's wrong?" asked a concerned Steve.

"It's nothing," said Tony dismissively. "My helmet is just on the fritz a bit. No biggie."

"Tony."

"Would you unclench at least one orifice on your body?" asked Tony in exasperation. "I've got this." He tapped at his helmet with his free hand. "Jarvis, buddy, I'm ten seconds away from an epileptic fit here. Fix this, okay?"

"I do not believe I am able to do so remotely, sir," said Jarvis apologetically.

"Fine," said Tony in vague annoyance. He made the visor slip back so he wasn't distracted by the flashing displays and then finished off sealing off the crack. "Okay, I'm done."

"Are you sure?"

"Is Big Bird yellow?"

"I don't know."

Tony rolled his eyes. "He is and I am." He walked back down the rounded corridor and easily jetted out of the manhole just as Steve ran up to him. Tony gave a cocky smile. "See, all good." Without the display of his visor in front of him, Tony was forced to ask Jarvis this next question. "J Dog, what's the time?"

"Are you referring to me, sir?"

"Yes, of course I'm referring to you. Who else?"

"I'm not enthralled by that particular nom de plume, sir."

Tony wrinkled his nose. "You're an AI unit. You don't get to be enthralled about anything and I kinda like it."

"Of course you do," said Jarvis dourly.

Tony looked at Steve and shook his head. "Ever since Hammer's damn bugs got all up in Jarvis' system he's been as moody as hell."

"I thought I was unable to exhibit any emotions, sir."

"And pernickety," said Tony in irritation. "You know, more so than usual."

"It's 8:07 and fifty-five seconds," said Jarvis coolly.

Tony grinned. "Five seconds to go." He looked Steve over and relented a bit. "Hey, I told you, no explosion tonight. Nothing can happen in two seconds."

Steve grimaced. "Please don't say stuff like that."

"8:08 and six seconds, sir."

Tony reached out an armored hand and patted Steve's arm. "And we're over the line. You did it, Cap. History isn't going to repeat itself."

Steve looked around himself a little nervously. "I don't know."

"I do," said Tony confidently.

"Stop, police!"

Tony looked past Steve's shoulder to see a flash of orange disappear into an alleyway, with two policemen hot on his heels.

Steve frowned as he swung around. "Did you see the guy they were chasing?"

"I saw a fashion abomination. No wonder the cops are after him."

Steve turned back around to face Tony. "What do you—" His next words were cut off as shots rang out from the alleyway. Steve tensed, grabbing his shield from his back. "Sounds like they need help. Stay here and guard the—" he turned back around to address Tony and then broke off in horror.

There was a ringing in Tony's ears which he couldn't quite work out what it was. He felt a trickle of something warm wind its way down from his forehead and between his eyebrows.

"Sir, your vitals are dropping!" said Jarvis urgently. "You've been shot!"

Tony blinked, trying to make sense of the words he'd just heard. The blinking caused his vision to become tinted with red and he realized that the warm trickle was blood which was now in his eyes.

"Tony!" said Steve in horror but his name sounded a long way away on the other man's lips.

Tony felt the life draining from his body as he blinked again. "Pepper," he whispered and then there was nothing.

He crashed forwards in his Iron Man suit, visor still up and as he impacted with the ground the unibeam in his chest activated, blasting a hole through the concrete and igniting the gas line embedded below their feet. The explosion rocketed up from underneath them, tearing apart cement and bitumen with a force that created a fiery oblivion.

#

Steve sucked in a strangled breath and sat bolt upright in his seat.

Happy flicked a concerned look into the rear vision mirror. "You okay, Cap?"

Steve looked around himself at the now painfully familiar scenery flashing by and then buried his head in his hands. Another failure. Just how many more times was he expected to do this? How many more times _could_ he do this? His only solace was that at least Tony wasn't dead but involving the others hadn't helped at all, just added Tony's name to the death toll. Steve's head hurt and for the first time since this had started he began to feel the cold tendrils of hopelessness wrap their way around him…

**A/N****: And hopefully the next chapter won't take me as long. Off to see the latest Godzilla movie now. Should be fun!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N****: Well, this chapter took me way longer then I wanted it to but it is reasonably long, so there is that. Thanks again for your patience and hope you enjoy…**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Stop the car, Happy."

Happy's puzzle gaze flicked up into the rear vision mirror to look at him. "We're already late and I can't take another phone call from that Jan woman."

"Just stop the car," ground out Steve. His last nerve felt stretched out and ready to break. He couldn't face another go round of the nightmare he knew was waiting for him.

"You okay, Cap?"

"Not even a little bit," said Steve hopelessly. There must have been something in his voice which told Happy not to ask any more questions because the other man silently pulled the limo to the curb. Steve almost stumbled out of the car, finding it hard to catch his breath. He walked a few paces away from the car and crouched down, trying to get his bearings. Steve could feel Happy's worried gaze on him as he too climbed out of the car but Steve could offer up no reassurances. He didn't know if it was the constant jumping back in time which was taking a physical toll on him or the sheer hopelessness of his situation but he felt as though his will to go on was draining from his body. Sticking his hand in his coat, Steve fumbled for his phone and quickly dialed a number. The other person picked up within three rings.

"Steve," laughed Olivia, "there is no way you're done with your date already and if you are it's the shortest date in history."

Steve closed his eyes and choked back a bitter laugh. "This is turning into the longest date in history about twenty go rounds ago."

There was a brief pause on the other end on the phone. "Steve, are you alright?"

How many times had Olivia asked him that tonight? How many more times would she have to ask him that exact question before this was over? Would it ever be over? "Tell me everything is going to be alright," said Steve raggedly, knuckles whitening on the phone as he gripped it tightly.

"Steve, what's happened?" asked Olivia urgently. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm trapped," he confessed. "I don't know how to stop this."

"What are you talking about? What are you trying to stop?"

Steve had explained this so many times already. He didn't know if he had it in him to do it again. "Olivia," he breathed, hanging his head. "I can't do this anymore."

"Steve, listen to me," she said determinedly. "I don't know what's happened since I just saw you. I don't know what has got you so upset but I do know that whatever it is, you're going to work it out. You're going to do the right thing and you're going to make it work."

Steve grimaced. "Because I'm Captain America, right?" His statement was edged with bitterness. All of his super powers had amounted to nothing when it had come to fixing this problem.

"No," said Olivia huskily, "because you're Steve Rogers and I believe in him more than anyone else. You have the biggest heart of anyone, Steve and you don't give up, that's just who you are. There is always hope."

Steve felt that same heart swell in his chest at Olivia's rallying words. They struck a chord deep within him as he remembered Doctor Erskine, another person who had faith in him when no one else had. _Be a good man_. That was what Doctor Erskine had asked him to hold onto after his transformation. Good men didn't quit when things became difficult, it just made them try harder. "I'm sorry," said Steve unevenly. "I just didn't know what to do for a moment."

"Steve, you don't have to always have all the answers all the time," said Olivia compassionately. "Sometimes just staying in the game is enough until the answers do come."

"You're amazing," said Steve in wonder. "Have I ever told you that?"

Olivia gave a little laugh of embarrassment. "No, I'm not. I'm just someone who knows you and knows what you're capable of."

"I'm pretty sure it's the amazing thing," disagreed Steve. He stood up. "I'm going to come home to you."

"You can't. You have your date."

Steve's jaw hardened in determination. "No, after that, I'm going to get through this date, I'm going to fix everything so that no one dies and then I'm going to come home to you."

"It's a date, Steve," said Olivia indulgently, "not a death sentence. No one is going to die."

Steve squared his shoulders. "I'm going to make sure of that." He smiled. "Thank you."

"I'm not sure I did anything."

"You did everything. I just needed…" Steve trailed off, not exactly sure why his first instinct had been to ring Olivia when he'd been so down. "You," he finished off. "I just need you." He could picture Olivia blushing in his mind's eyes at his declaration and actually found a smile.

"Oh," she said unevenly, "that's really sweet, Steve." Olivia paused. "Are you sure you're going to be okay now?"

"I will," said Steve firmly. "Are you sure about what you said earlier?"

"About you coming over later?" asked Olivia shyly. "For, umm… that is… ah…"

"Dessert," finished off Steve as she floundered to say exactly what they were talking about. He felt his smile widened. There was something very appealing to him about Olivia's reserve and made Steve want to protect that at all cost.

Olivia gave a little laugh. "Yes, dessert. You know, I do a mean apple pie and Chunky Monkey combo."

"I only understood half of that sentence."

"It's a type of ice cream. I know is sounds weird, but trust me, you'll love it."

"I trust you." _And I love you._ The words burned a hole through his tongue but Steve didn't want to make such a declaration over the phone. He wanted Olivia to be able to look into his eyes and see that he meant it.

"So, I'll see you soon?"

"Yes," said Steve emphatically. "You'll see me soon. Don't worry."

Happy's raised voice broke into their conversation. "Hey, listen, lady, I told you, I got a flat tire." Happy waved his phone at the decidedly unflat tire on the limo in a mock attempt to show her that he wasn't lying. It was helpful his phone had no video capacity on calls. "See?" he demanded back into the phone. "And I could get to fixing it if you stopped ringing me every ten seconds to see if we're there yet. We get there when we get there, okay?" Happy's eyes went wide as he listened to Jan's response. "Nice, you kiss your aging mother with that mouth?" He snapped the phone shut and looked at Steve. "We gotta go while I've still got some ass left after that woman's chewed her way through it." Happy looked him over. "You good to go, Cap?"

Steve nodded. "Liv, I've got to go."

"I know, be safe."

Steve knew from painful, limb from limb rendering experience that was easier said than done. "I will, I think I've almost got this worked out," he said confidently. "I'll be by soon for that Clunky Monkey."

Olivia giggled. "Chunky Monkey and I'll be waiting."

They hung up and Steve fixed Happy with a determined look. "Change of plans, Happy."

"Don't tell me you're not going to the restaurant."

"We're not going to the restaurant."

Happy's expression became pained. "But that Jan woman's got my cell number. I'll never know peace again. She seems like the type who holds a grudge."

"Just turn around and go home," Steve instructed him, shrugging out of his coat and pulling at his tie, throwing both items into the back of the limo. "There's more at stake here then a date."

"What?" asked a bemused Happy. "What is going on?"

"I'll explain later. Just go home, your normal route, no shortcuts, okay?"

"But—"

"Just do it, Happy. Everything is going to be fine." Steve quickly dialed a new number on his cell phone, watching as a still confused Happy climbed back into the limo and drove off. One person out of the line of fire.

"Ahoy-hoy."

"Tony, it's me."

"I know, I have caller ID. Hey, interesting fact about that greeting. When phones were first invented they did a vote on what would be the acceptable way to answer them because hello hadn't been invented. There was a hullo but that was used more for exclamations of surprise—"

Steve was already running down the street, knowing exactly where he was heading. "Stark, shut up, I don't care."

"I'm just trying to add to your education."

"I know all about the invention of the telephone and how hello came about," said Steve impatiently as he dodged New Yorkers going the opposite way to him on the side walk.

"Right, I keep forgetting how old you are. You probably were handing old Alexander G. Bell his screwdrivers." Tony gave a little laugh. "Just kidding. I never forget how old you are, Grandpa. Are you running? Why are you running?"

"Put me on speaker phone, I need for Bruce to hear this too." Steve crossed the road, forced to jump over a car which didn't see him coming.

"Why?"

"Tony, for once in your life, just do what I ask you," said Steve impatiently. "Bruce, can you hear me?"

"Yes, what's up?"

"Estelle Getty."

"Oh God," came the strangled reply.

"Have I got your attention?" asked Steve, still running.

"And then some," said a strained sounding Bruce.

"What's going on?" Tony demanded to know. "What's this about Estelle Getty?"

"It's not important," said Steve firmly. "I just need you two to do what I ask without asking any questions."

"Why?" asked Tony.

"That's a question," bit out Steve. "Lives are at stake, I'll explain as you get ready but first, Tony, your suit, there is a malfunction in the helmet."

There was a loud snort. "I'll take that under advisement seeing as it's coming from the guy who spent ten minutes trying to turn on the TV with the garage remote the other day."

"Your helmet, there is a problem, you need to fix it or use another suit before doing what I ask," insisted Steve stubbornly.

#

Tony hung up with the call from Steve after the man had gone onto explain what was happening and arched an eyebrow at Bruce. "What are we thinking here, some kind of psychotic break or Steve really is in some kind of time loop?" He held up a finger. "Which I don't believe is possible, by the way. There is no such thing as a time loop."

Bruce's face was lined in concern. "I believe him. I can't explain what is happening to him but I believe Steve." He caught Tony's gaze. "You need to check your suit."

"There is nothing wrong with my suit. Jarvis runs diagnostics on it three times a day, more if I see action." Bruce just continued to stare at him and Tony relented. "Jarvis."

"Sir?"

"Run a diagnostic on my suit, check the helmet carefully."

"Very good, sir."

Bruce stood up. "I'd better get moving, there isn't much time." He glanced at the window. "I'll take the short cut. Open the windows for me."

Tony frowned. "How did you know about my window escape hatch? I haven't told anyone about them."

Bruce blinked a couple of time. "I-I don't know." He tilted his head. "Maybe I found out about them in a past go round and I've got some kind of residual memory."

"You know what you're saying is crazy, right? Once scientist to another, completely and utterly impossible."

"Sure," said Bruce casually as he walked up to the window and Tony activated the window so it slid open. "Now, excuse me while I turn myself into a hulking, green monster, cause that's not crazy at all."

"Point taken," said Tony dryly as he watched Bruce begin to change and leap out of the window at the same time.

"Sir, diagnostics complete on your suit and I found an issue with your helmet."

"You did?" asked Tony in surprise. "I thought you'd just checked it this afternoon."

"I had, but there was a small fuse which had initially passed inspection but now is suboptimum. Its reliability cannot be guaranteed."

Tony shook his head. "I still don't believe it." He paused. "Rack up the Mark 23, I'll take that instead." Tony started to run towards the elevator, knowing he couldn't call that suit by will. Steve hadn't said directly what had gone wrong last time, just that it was imperative Tony keep his visor down at all times. Tony sensed it hadn't ended well for him which would be cause for concern if he believed in this time loop stuff, which of course, he didn't. Still, no point in tempting fate. Tony burst out of the elevator and was in the Mark 23 in a flash and then he was jetting from Stark Tower at top speed, intent on following Steve's very specific instructions.

#

Steve looked up as a red blur streaked over the top of him and let out a relieved breath. Tony was on his way to fix the gas main. It had almost worked last time, Steve knew he was close. This time round, he had just tweaked a few things, swapping his role with the Hulk's and making sure Tony's helmet was fixed. The tanker pulled out in front of him and Steve gave a burst of speed, catching up with it easily and jumping on the side of it, leaning in to address the surprised looking men inside. "Pull over!" he ordered them.

The passenger squinted and leaned over towards him. "Is that Captain America?"

"Yes," said Steve quickly and pointed to the curb up ahead. "You need to pull over, now."

The driver looked at his friend the other man shrugged and then the driver was guiding the tanker of petrol to the curb where Steve had indicated.

"Thank you," said Steve sincerely. "I can't explain how, but you just saved a lot of lives, including your own."

The driver blinked. "Okay, if you say so but if I'm late, my boss ain't gonna be happy."

"Don't worry about your boss. He can call me if he has an issue," said Steve firmly. "Now, just don't move from here, okay? Not until ten minutes after eight."

"Um, okay, Cap."

Steve glanced over his shoulder as an orange corvette whizzed by. He looked around himself, not seeing any particular danger. Whatever 'incident' the Hulk had referenced, didn't seem to be happening this time round. That was good. "Hulk, you stopped the workmen yet?"

"Yes," grunted the reply. "Truck no move."

"Any problems?"

"No."

"Stay there, I'll come to you." Steve jumped down from the tanker. "Remember, don't even think about moving this thing until after 8:10." He took off running down the street, knowing the Hulk wasn't far away. "Tony, how are you doing? Is the crack fixed yet?"

"Hey, don't rush the charismatic genius. You get a lack luster miracle."

Steve glanced at his watch as he ran. "You've got less than five minutes."

"I know, unbunch those panties, I'm almost done."

In less than two minutes Steve had caught up with the Hulk and the confused looking city workers inside their truck. He ran over to the Hulk and held up a hand, nodding at the other men. "Thank you for your co-operation, gentlemen," he called out to them. Looking around, he couldn't see any traffic accidents, no woman and child to be rescued from a crumpled car. Another plus. Steve looked up at the Hulk. "You want to get us to Tony? You're a little bit faster than I am."

The Hulk wrinkled up his face. "Talky man makes Hulk head hurt."

"Yeah, I know but what are you gonna do, right?"

The Hulk gave a grunt of acknowledgement and grabbed Steve around the waist, launching them both up into the air in one of his giant leaps. Steve's teeth rattled in his head when they landed on each jump. It wasn't the smoothest way to travel but they were covering a lot of ground quickly. They were at the manhole where Tony was working at fixing the gas line crack with nearly a minute to spare. The Hulk landed them on the ground, shaking the surrounding street but then Tony was jetting up from the open manhole.

"All fixed," he said confidently.

"Are you sure?" pushed Steve, looking around at all the potential victims in the area.

"Is Big Bird yellow?"

"Apparently," said Steve wryly. He looked down at his watch, twenty seconds to go until 8:08. From last time he learned that they'd have to wait to get back 8:08 entirely before being really certain that they'd averted disaster.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Tony.

"We wait," said Steve, looking around himself, on edge for some new drama to emerge and undo all of their hard work. "Keep your visor down."

The seconds ticked by. 8:08 and fifteen seconds.

"Are we there yet?" asked a bored Tony. "My clock says it's 8:08 and no boom boom. Let's go already."

"We have to wait until it gets to past 8:08 altogether," said Steve, still distractedly looking around himself for any new dangers.

Tony sighed dramatically. "How did I know going a date with you would be like watching paint dry?"

"Trust me, it's better than the alternative." Steve looked down at his watch. It had just gone 8:09. He blinked. "We did it," he breathed. Steve looked between the two other men. "We did it."

Tony looked around at the streets full of New Yorkers going about their business. "Is it just me or does this all feel a little anti-climactic?"

Steve had to agree with Tony somewhat. After all that he'd been through, the nothingness of the moment was at odds with all the drama of every other attempt at tonight. But he wasn't about to complain. "It's a miracle," he said unevenly. "That's what it is."

"You know, I'm still not sure I'm on board the whole time looping train thing," said Tony. "It's just not a real thing."

"I was right about your suit," pointed out Steve. "And the fact there was a crack in the gas line." He couldn't believe it, they'd actually managed to stop the explosion. This night was really going to come to an end.

Tony waved a dismissive hand at him. "Lucky guesses."

Tony's stubbornness in admitting he was wrong didn't even bother Steve right then. It was slowly sinking in, he wasn't going to have to go through this night ever again. "Even to win an argument, you don't believe that."

"I might believe it if one of you tell me what's up with Estelle Getty." Tony looked at the Hulk. "How about it, giant, green and grumpy? What's the deal with you two and the divine Ms G?"

The Hulk's nostrils flared and he let out a bellowing roar which forced Steve to put his hands to his ears to try and block out some of the painful noise.

"Intriguing," said Tony, not giving up. "Let me guess, it's a sex thing, right?"

The Hulk gave another deafening roar and made an aggressive swipe at Tony which the other man just narrowly missed being flattened by jetting up into the air.

Tony hovered just above their heads, bursting into laughter. "Oh my God, it is a sex thing! I was just joking." He cackled some more. "Oh, this is just too good to be true." He pointed a metal clad finger at the enraged looking Hulk. "I'll say this for you, B, between Betty and Estelle, you're a guy who definitely doesn't have a type." More laughter.

Steve stepped back hastily as the Hulk launched himself up into the air at Tony, clearly intent on doing some real damage.

"Hulk smash!" he bellowed.

Tony managed to keep just out of his reach. "Hey there now, big guy, no need to be embarrassed, we've all got our little dirty secrets." Tony darted to the left to avoid a powerful swipe from the Hulk's hand. "Of course, yours isn't going to be a secret for long once I—"

"Hulk KILL!" The Hulk was really angry now, batting at the air like Tony was an annoying fly he was trying to swat, which wasn't far from the truth.

Steve shook his head at Tony's antics, seeing they were attracting attention from even the jaded New York citizens in the area. "Guys, stop it, you're making a scene." He glared up at Tony. "Stop annoying Bruce and just take him home, okay? We don't need to avert one disaster and cause another." Steve looked at his watch. It was now 8:13, well past the due date for destruction but he really didn't want to tempt fate.

"Relax, bossy britches, the big guy knows I'm only teasing, right, Hulk?"

The Hulk roared again, leaping up and coming dangerously close to connecting with Tony this time.

"You see," said Tony casually, "he's totally into it."

"Just go, will you? You're making me nervous," Steve ordered him.

Tony soared up further into the air. "You're no fun but then, I'm guessing you already knew that."

Steve craned his head back to look up at him suspended in the night sky. "You tell me often enough, so yeah, I got the memo."

"Then my work here is done." Tony clapped his hands together. "Come on, Lassie, heel." He shot further up in the air with a snarling Hulk hot on his tail.

Steve sighed as he watched them leave, feeling relieved to have them both out of the area. With a last look around, Steve jogged back up around the corner to where there was a thinning crowd of reporters and Jan out the front on the sidewalk, yelling into a phone. He hoped Happy had turned his phone off and wasn't the recipient of her rage at him not showing up. Off to one side, in a dark corner, near the side entrance of the restaurant Steve spied Sandy looking a little shell-shocked as she kept looking at her watch and then around herself. Steve made his way to her by coming up behind a row of shrubs which lined the entrance of the restaurant. When he was close, Steve reached out through the bushes and grabbed the arm of the startled Sandy and drew her through the bank of bushes and away from prying eyes. He felt her trying to struggle free. "It's okay," said Steve quickly, "it's me." He stepped back so they were now on the other side of the wall of greenery.

Sandy's eyes went as wide as saucers behind her thick glasses. "How… what… I don't understand?"

"I did it, Sandy, everything is going to be okay now." Steve couldn't help but break into a giant smile. "Your dream didn't come true. There was no explosion. I stopped it… finally."

Sandy shook her head. "How can you know about the explosion? How do you know me? This isn't possible. This isn't what happens."

"It is now," said Steve firmly. He stepped forward and placed his hands on her arms. "It's okay, I know this is confusing but I've been reliving this night over and over and you and I have met a lot of times now. You told me all about your dreams and I've lived through this night ending how you've dreamed but this time, this time I was able to change it. No one dies tonight."

"No-no one dies?" repeated Sandy uncertainly.

"No one dies," said Steve confidently. "Everyone is safe." He could hear the relief in his own voice. It was finally over.

Sandy looked like she was still in shock. "I-I don't know what to say. I can't believe it."

"It's way past 8:08 and there is no explosion," pointed out Steve. "It's over, Sandy. The loop is broken. We both have an end to this nightmare where no one dies."

Sandy put a hand to her mouth, eyes welling up with emotional tears.

"Don't cry, that's a good thing."

"I know," she said unsteadily. "It's just all so overwhelming. When you've been bracing for something for so long, when it doesn't happen, you just don't know how to react."

"How about we go and have that date?" suggested Steve, knowing exactly how she felt.

Sandy dropped her hand from her mouth and managed a wobbly smile. "If it's alright with you, I think I'd rather not. Our dates always end badly and I really don't want to—"

"Tempt fate." Steve gave a lop-sided smile. "I get it, trust me." He looked over her shoulder to where he could hear, rather than see Jan and her loud ranting. "I think I should go and talk to Jan and smooth things over."

Sandy shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll tell her I feel sick and want to go home. It'll be okay."

"We can reschedule."

Sandy wrinkled her nose. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"No, maybe not," agreed Steve. He gave her a warm look. "I guess this is goodbye then?"

"I guess," said Sandy unsteadily.

Steve impulsively bent down and drew her up into a big bear hug. "If you ever need me for anything, you know how to find me." A surprised looking Sandy drew back and stared up at him. "We've been through a lot together," said Steve. "I know you don't remember that but I do. Just know you'll always have a friend in me, no matter what."

"Thank you," said Sandy unsteadily, still looking at him in amazement. "No one has ever said that to me before. I don't know what to say."

"Tell me you'll take me at my word and that you'll have a great rest of your life."

"I do and I'll try."

Steve gave her a final quick hug and then they were parting ways. His whole body was buzzing with excitement from at last being free from the curse of this night and he knew there was only one person he wanted to share this happiness with. Steve quickly hailed a cab and gave directions to the driver. He settled back in his seat and pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me."

"You can't be done with your date already," said Olivia.

"I am," said Steve in relief. "I really and truly am." Just saying the words brought a huge smile to his lips.

"But it's been barely an hour."

"Trust me, it's been more like a life time."

Olivia gave an uncertain laugh. "You're acting so strange tonight, Steve."

"I know, it's been a bit crazy but that is all behind us now. I'm on my way over to you."

"Already?" squeaked Olivia. "But I'm not ready yet. The pie is still baking."

"You now I love your apple pie, Liv," said Steve teasingly, "but trust me, that's not the main attraction for me. I'll be there soon."

"I'll be here," breathed Olivia, sounding very happy. "I can't wait to see you."

"Me either." They hung up and Steve sat back in his seat, knowing he was grinning like an idiot and not caring. Finally it was just going to be the two of them, which was what he'd wanted all along for tonight before the madness had started. The cab couldn't get him to Olivia's apartment fast enough. They were getting closer to Olivia's street when the cab started to slow down. Steve leant forward in his seat to talk to the cab driver. "What's going on?"

"Traffic has stopped." The man shrugged. "Don't know why." The sound of a siren off in the distance came to them. "Probably a car accident or something."

Steve reached for his wallet to pay the man. "I'll walk from here, it's not far." After settling the cab fare, Steve climbed out of the car and headed down the street. He turned a corner and there was indeed a crowd of people up ahead. They were blocking his view but Steve broke into a trot, wanting to check to see if he could be of any help. A man burst from the crowd and bumped roughly into his shoulder but didn't break stride and just kept running. The man's bright orange jump suit with the hoodie pulled up actually made Steve wince more than the impact. He glanced over his shoulder at the retreating man but was more intent on getting to the accident scene to check on anyone who might need help. "Excuse me," he said, politely but determinedly pushing his way through the throng of onlookers who had gathered around the accident sight. Steve stiffened a little as he caught a glimpse through the crowd of a bright orange corvette which had driven into a convenience shop front, its front end lodged into the shattered glass window. His nerves tightened as he quickened his pace to get through all the people. Steve kicked something underfoot and almost slipped on a patch of wetness and he looked down to see a tub of rapidly melting ice cream roll back around in a semi-circle back to him. Its contents were mostly gone and melting into the bitumen of the road but as the carton rolled to a halt, he could read the label.

_Chunky Monkey. _

A coldness gripped Steve's stomach as he stared at the carton. It didn't mean anything. I couldn't mean anything. Sure, they were close to Olivia's apartment but she usually didn't go to that store, there was one closer again to her place. Steve could feel the numbness creeping into his body as he started to roughly shove people out of the way now, suddenly desperate to see for himself exactly what had happened. He broke through the crowd and instantly saw the crumpled figure partially covered in a floral sheet in the middle of the street. An African American woman in her late fifties was kneeling by the body and keeping the other people away. Steve burst out of the crowd and ran towards the woman. He dropped to his knees beside the body, unable to take his eyes off of it. A part of his brain recognized the pretty blue dress which was Olivia's favorite but another part of him was yelling at him that it couldn't be her, that a lot of women would have a dress exactly the same. Steve reached out a shaking hand to remove the sheet from the woman's face.

The older woman grabbed his wrist and shook her head. "Don't, honey, it's pretty bad."

"I've got to see," rasped Steve. "It's not her. It can't be her."

The woman grimaced and let go of his wrist and Steve peeled back the floral bed sheet which had bloody spots seeping through it. Olivia's maimed face was revealed. One side of her face was rubbed raw from where she must have hit the road, the other side her cheek was obviously broken, jaw dislocated and she was staring ahead with that vacant look that Steve knew all too well. "No," he gasped, "please, no, this can't be happening." He felt his whole body begin to shake.

"I'm so sorry, honey." He felt a compassionate hand on his back. "The poor thing didn't stand a chance. She was crossing the road and that orange car just took the corner like a mad man and she just couldn't get out of the way. It tossed her up in the air like she was a rag doll. I think she was dead before she even hit the ground. I live across the street, I saw the whole thing. Covered up the poor girl. Ain't no one should be lyin' in the street like that. It ain't right."

Steve could hear the woman talking and a part of him registered her words but they weren't sinking in. All he could see was Olivia, broken and bleeding. "No," he said again, gathering Olivia into his arms, "this isn't happening. This isn't how it's supposed to be." _What was the point of saving all of those people if he couldn't save the one he cared about the most?_ He felt like his heart had been pulled from his chest and the blood he was kneeling in was both of theirs. Steve clutched Olivia's body to him, feeling how the warmth had already left her body. He rocked her back and forth in his arms, squeezing his eyes closed. "Reset," he ordered the universe through clenched teeth, "reset, this isn't how it ends, reset. You can't take her away from me." Steve buried his face in Olivia's hair which still smelt of her shampoo but also of asphalt and blood, his stomach churning sickeningly. "Reset damn you!" he yelled out, clutching Olivia to him even more tightly. "You can't do this to me, not again!" Steve held his breath and willed the fates to give him one last chance…

**A/N****: Okay, what's the consensus – does Steve get another go round or is it curtains for poor Olivia? :( Check out the next chapter to find out? ;) **


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